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Murray Balfour

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Murray Balfour
Born (1936-08-24)August 24, 1936
Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada
Died May 30, 1965(1965-05-30) (aged 28)
Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada
Height 5 ft 9 in (175 cm)
Weight 180 lb (82 kg; 12 st 12 lb)
Position Right wing
Shot Right
Played for Montreal Canadiens
Boston Bruins
Chicago Black Hawks
Playing career 1957–1965

Murray Gordon Louis Balfour (August 24, 1936 – May 30, 1965) was a Canadian ice hockey right wing in the National Hockey League from 1956 to 1965, with the Montreal Canadiens, Chicago Black Hawks, and Boston Bruins. Balfour won the Stanley Cup in 1961 with Chicago. His career ended due to lung cancer, which led to his death in 1965.

Playing career

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Balfour first played in the National Hockey League with the Montreal Canadiens, playing five games with them over the 1956–57 and 1957–58 seasons, though mainly spent those years with their minor-league affiliates, the Hull-Ottawa Canadiens and Montreal Royals. A right wing, Balfour was unable to play for Montreal full-time as the team already had Maurice Richard, Bernie Geoffrion, and Claude Provost on the team (the first two later being elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame. After spending the 1958–59 season with the minor-league Rochester Americans, Balfour was sold to the Chicago Black Hawks for cash.[1]

Balfour was a member of the renowned "Million Dollar Line" alongside Bobby Hull and Bill Hay with the Black Hawks. In game three of the first round of the 1961 Stanley Cup playoffs, he scored the game winner in triple overtime against the defending champion Canadiens. In the fifth game, Balfour crashed into the Detroit Red Wings net and broke his arm. The Hawks went on to win the Stanley Cup in six games with Balfour watching the final game from the hospital. He led Chicago in goals scored during the playoffs with 5.[2] During the 1961–62 season Balfour re-injured his wrist, requiring surgery and an 8 inches (20 cm) steel rod implanted for support.[3][4]

His play declined as a result of the injury, and he was traded to the Boston Bruins in 1964. He started the 1964–65 season with the Bruins, however he complained about being tired and began slowing down. As a result, Balfour was sent to their minor-league affiliate, the Hershey Bears. After 31 games with Hershey, Balforur stopped playing, and was treated for a lesion on his lung. On April 5 he had surgery, where an inoperable tumor was found.[3][4]

He recorded 67 goals and 90 assists for a total of 157 points over his career, having played in 306 games.

Personal life

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After the tumor was found on Balfour's lung, he returned home to Regina, and entered a hospital on May 29. He died of lung cancer on May 30, 1965.[3][4][5]

The City of Regina named a hockey arena in Balfour's honour.[6]

Balfour's parents were Gordon and Margaret Balfour of Regina.

Career statistics

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Regular season and playoffs

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Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
1952–53 Regina Pats WJHL 31 2 4 6 38 7 0 1 1 10
1952–53 Regina Pats Al-Cup — — — — — 2 0 0 0 5
1953–54 Regina Pats WJHL 35 7 5 12 99 16 4 4 8 45
1954–55 Regina Pats WJHL 38 10 16 26 156 12 7 4 11 30
1954–55 Regina Pats M-Cup — — — — — 3 1 2 3 4
1955–56 Regina Pats WJHL 34 24 18 42 104 10 7 5 12 20
1955–56 Regina Pats M-Cup — — — — — 19 15 4 19 65
1956–57 Hull-Ottawa Canadiens OHA Sr 19 12 7 19 76 — — — — —
1956–57 Hull-Ottawa Canadiens QHL 18 2 6 8 15 — — — — —
1956–57 Montreal Canadiens NHL 2 0 0 0 2 — — — — —
1956–57 Hull-Ottawa Canadiens M-Cup — — — — — 15 5 12 17 35
1957–58 Montreal Canadiens NHL 3 1 1 2 4 — — — — —
1957–58 Montreal Royals QHL 62 23 25 48 107 7 1 2 3 20
1958–59 Rochester Americans AHL 67 14 23 37 181 1 0 0 0 0
1959–60 Chicago Black Hawks NHL 61 18 12 30 55 4 1 0 1 0
1960–61 Chicago Black Hawks NHL 70 21 27 48 123 11 5 5 10 14
1961–62 Chicago Black Hawks NHL 49 15 15 30 72 12 1 1 2 15
1962–63 Chicago Black Hawks NHL 65 10 23 33 75 6 0 2 2 12
1963–64 Chicago Black Hawks NHL 41 2 10 12 36 7 2 2 4 4
1964–65 Boston Bruins NHL 15 0 2 2 26 — — — — —
1964–65 Hershey Bears AHL 31 10 8 18 36 — — — — —
NHL totals 306 67 90 157 393 40 9 10 19 45

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Feige 2011, p. 35
  2. ^ Feige 2011, p. 36
  3. ^ a b c Feige 2011, p. 37
  4. ^ a b c Gregoire, L. Waxy; Dupuis, David; Pilote, Pierre (2013-10-01). Heart of the Blackhawks: The Pierre Pilote Story. ECW Press. ISBN 978-1-77090-427-9.
  5. ^ Cole, Rick (2015-05-31). "50 Years Ago in Hockey - Murray Balfour Succumbs to Cancer". The Hockey Writers. Retrieved 2024-01-30.
  6. ^ "Murray Balfour Ice Arena - City of Regina". Archived from the original on 2009-04-23. Retrieved 2010-05-31.

Bibliography

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  • Feige, Timothy (2011), Hockey's Greatest Tragedies: The Broken Heroes of the Fastest Game on Earth, London: Arcturus Publishing, ISBN 978-1-84837-742-4
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