Jesse Belanger was a Canadian ice hockey player who played as a center in the National Hockey League (NHL) for over a decade. He was born on June 15, 1971, in Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada. Belanger started his hockey career in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) with the Drummondville Voltigeurs in 1987. He played for the Voltigeurs for three seasons, scoring 98 goals and 156 assists in 187 games.
Belanger was drafted by the Los Angeles Kings in the fourth round of the 1991 NHL Entry Draft. He made his NHL debut with the Kings in the 1991-92 season, playing in 11 games and scoring one goal. Belanger spent most of his first two seasons in the American Hockey League (AHL) with the Phoenix Roadrunners and the New Haven Nighthawks.
In the 1993-94 season, Belanger played for the Kings and had his best season in the NHL. He played in 78 games, scoring 19 goals and 27 assists for a total of 46 points. Belanger was traded to the Edmonton Oilers in the 1995-96 season, where he played for two seasons. He then played for the Carolina Hurricanes for two seasons before being traded to the Vancouver Canucks in the 1999-2000 season.
Belanger played for the Canucks for one season before being traded to the Atlanta Thrashers in the 2000-01 season. He played in 47 games for the Thrashers, scoring four goals and 10 assists. Belanger retired from professional hockey after the 2000-01 season.
Throughout his NHL career, Belanger played in 566 games, scoring 87 goals and 129 assists for a total of 216 points. He was known for his defensive skills and was often used as a penalty killer. Belanger was also known for his faceoff skills, winning 51.2% of his faceoffs throughout his career.
After retiring from hockey, Belanger became a coach and worked with the Drummondville Voltigeurs, the team he started his hockey career with. He also worked as a scout for the Montreal Canadiens and the Florida Panthers.
In conclusion, Jesse Belanger had a successful career in the NHL, playing for five different teams over a decade. He was known for his defensive skills, faceoff abilities, and penalty-killing abilities. After retiring from hockey, Belanger continued to work in the sport as a coach and scout.
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