BELANGER - CLARKSON ATHLETIC HALL of FAME

Fans of Clarkson Hockey in the 1990s will remember this inductee not only for his silky skill with the puck but as one of the most iconic player introductions in the history of the program.  If #9 got the start, Steve Newkofsky would have the chance to ring out, “At Left Wing, from Saint-Hubert, Quebec, #9 HUGOOOOOO BELANGEAAAAAAA” ...giving the opposing goalie cause for concern.  

That concern was well warranted as Belanger frequently found his name on the score sheet at the end of games, ranking third all-time in scoring at Clarkson with 81 goals and 124 assists for 205 points. His goal total places him eighth in program history and his assist figure is the second best in the long history of Clarkson Hockey. .

During his four seasons while skating with the Knights, Belanger helped the Green and Gold reach the NCAA Tournament each year. In 1991, after scoring three goals in the finals, including the game winning goal against St. Lawrence University, Belanger was named the ECAC Tournament MVP.  The honor was nothing new for Belanger, as he was named ECAC Second-Team as junior, ECAC Honorable Mention as sophomore, and to the ECAC All-Rookie team in 1989-90. His point total as a rookie in the 1989-90 season is the fourth most in program history, and his 75 points as a sophomore, the most by any Clarkson player in their second season, is actually the second-best figure overall by a player of any class year, behind only Dave Taylor's 1976-77 campaign. Additionally, his six game-winning goals in 1990-91 are the second-most in program history. 

Belanger was selected in the eighth round as the 163rd overall park in the 1990 NHL Entry Draft by the Chicago Blackhawks, and he went on to play 15 seasons in professional hockey’s minor leagues. Belanger was named the Sher-Wood Most Valuable Player in the UHL four times in his UHL career, as well as the MVP of the ECHL in 1996 and the MVP of the WCHL as a member of the Phoenix Mustangs. Belanger played a total of 1011 games in his minor league hockey career, totaling 1465 points with 518 goals and 947 assists. That point total is the most scored by any player since 1980 and the fifth highest total of all-time.

Belanger also played four seasons of major league roller hockey, earning RHI MVP honors in 1996 after becoming the only player in RHI history to record a 100-point season. As a member of Team Canada, Belanger earned a gold medal in the 1998 IIHF InLine Hockey World Championship.

Belanger was inducted into the Adirondack Hockey Hall of Fame in 2011 along with hockey legend Barry Melrose.