# Francis Bélanger

Francis Henri Bélanger (born January 15, 1978) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. He played 10 games in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Montreal Canadiens during the 2000–01 season.

## Career

On July 23, 1999, Bélanger, Dmitri Tertyshny, and Mikhail Chernov were on a boating trip in British Columbia when Tertyshny suffered fatal injuries in a freak accident. Tertyshny fell forward out of the boat after it hit a wave, the boat ran over him, and its propeller slashed his neck and his jugular vein. Bélanger fell into a depression following the accident and began binge drinking. In an effort to help him, the Flyers sent him home with pay and urged him to seek help. Their strength and conditioning coach also devised a daily summer workout regimen to keep him occupied and healthy. After failing a drug test on November 29, 2000, Bélanger was released by the Flyers and entered a rehab clinic to become sober. On January 13, 2001, Bélanger was offered a 7-game contract with the Quebec Citadelles of the American Hockey League (AHL). In his first week with the organization, Bélanger recorded his first AHL hat-trick to lead the Citadelles to a 5–2 win over the Portland Pirates. After scoring 10 goals and 11 points over his first 14 games, he was offered a two-year, $300,000 contract with the Montreal Canadiens. He was recalled to the NHL level on February 15, 2001, and made his NHL debut on February 17 against the Washington Capitals.

## Career statistics
### Regular season and playoffs

| | | | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Playoffs | Playoffs | Playoffs | Playoffs | Playoffs |
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
| 1994–95 | Abitibi-Témiscamingue Forestiers | QMAAA | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1994–95 | Laval Régents | QMAAA | 28 | 11 | 8 | 19 | 78 | 14 | 0 | 8 | 8 | — |
| 1995–96 | Hull Olympiques | QMJHL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1995–96 | St-Jérôme Panthers | QPJHL | 26 | 3 | 7 | 10 | 179 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1996–97 | Hull Olympiques | QMJHL | 53 | 13 | 13 | 26 | 134 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 29 |
| 1997–98 | Hull Olympiques | QMJHL | 33 | 22 | 23 | 45 | 133 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1997–98 | Rimouski Océanic | QMJHL | 30 | 18 | 10 | 28 | 248 | 17 | 14 | 8 | 22 | 61 |
| 1998–99 | Philadelphia Phantoms | AHL | 58 | 13 | 13 | 26 | 242 | 16 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 16 |
| 1999–00 | Trenton Titans | ECHL | 9 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 29 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1999–00 | Philadelphia Phantoms | AHL | 35 | 5 | 6 | 11 | 112 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2000–01 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 29 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2000–01 | Philadelphia Phantoms | AHL | 13 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 32 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2000–01 | Quebec Citadelles | AHL | 22 | 15 | 4 | 19 | 101 | 9 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 20 |
| 2001–02 | Quebec Citadelles | AHL | 69 | 15 | 26 | 41 | 165 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| 2002–03 | Cincinnati Mighty Ducks | AHL | 40 | 4 | 10 | 14 | 50 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2003–04 | Charlotte Checkers | ECHL | 5 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 25 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2003–04 | Richmond RiverDogs | UHL | 17 | 11 | 13 | 24 | 47 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 32 |
| 2003–04 | Granby Prédateurs | QSMHL | 42 | 17 | 16 | 33 | 179 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2004–05 | Richmond RiverDogs | UHL | 63 | 26 | 26 | 52 | 174 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2004–05 | Danbury Trashers | UHL | 13 | 1 | 8 | 9 | 35 | 11 | 3 | 7 | 10 | 23 |
| 2005–06 | Danbury Trashers | UHL | 4 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 37 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2005–06 | Sorel-Tracy Mission | LNAH | 38 | 24 | 22 | 46 | 145 | 11 | 6 | 4 | 10 | 16 |
| 2006–07 | Sorel-Tracy Mission | LNAH | 40 | 21 | 19 | 40 | 118 | 10 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 28 |
| 2007–08 | Sorel-Tracy Mission | LNAH | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2007–08 | Rivière-du-Loup CIMT | QSCHL | 27 | 22 | 19 | 41 | 99 | 10 | 5 | 7 | 12 | 41 |
| 2010–11 | Sorel-Tracy GCI | LNAH | 32 | 12 | 11 | 23 | 95 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2012–13 | Sorel-Tracy Carvena HC | LNAH | 15 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 44 | — | — | — | — | — |
| NHL totals | NHL totals | NHL totals | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 29 | — | — | — | — | — |