Craig Billington

Craig Billington

Born	(1966-09-11) September 11, 1966 London, ON, CAN
Height	5 ft 10 in (178 cm)
Weight	170 lb (77 kg; 12 st 2 lb)
Position	Goaltender
Caught	Right
Played for	New Jersey Devils Ottawa Senators Boston Bruins Colorado Avalanche Washington Capitals
National team	Canada
NHL Draft	23rd overall, 1984 New Jersey Devils
Playing career	1985–2003

Craig Richard Billington (born September 11, 1966) is a Canadian retired professional ice hockey goaltender. He played with several teams in a 15 year National Hockey League career and currently serves as the Vice President of Player Development for the Colorado Avalanche. He operated a successful goaltending school in London and Gravenhurst, Ontario for 23 years.

Playing career

Craig played for the Stoneybrook Minor Hockey System in London, Ontario. He played High School hockey at A.B. Lucus SS. He played Junior B hockey for the London Chester Pegg Diamonds in the Western Junior B. OHA. Drafted by the Belleville Bulls on the OHL in 1983.

Drafted in 1984 by the New Jersey Devils, Billington also later played with the Ottawa Senators, Boston Bruins, Colorado Avalanche, and Washington Capitals. He played the majority of his NHL career as a backup goalie, playing in at least half of the games in a season only twice. He played 42 games with the Devils during the 1992–1993 season, splitting time with Chris Terreri, and 63 games with the Ottawa Senators the following season, posting an 11–41–4 record with a 4.59 GAA. After 15 years in the NHL Billington retired after the 2002–03 season.

Upon his retirement, Billington joined the Colorado Avalanche's front office staff.^[1]

Awards and Honors

Directorate Award (Best Goaltender), 1985 IIHF world junior hockey championships^[2]
Selected Scholastic Player of the year in OHL in 1984-85
Most Valuable Player in OHL All-Star game in 1984-85
Silver medalist in Men's World Championship for Team Canada in 1990-91
NHL All-Star in 1993

Career Statistics

Regular season and playoffs

			Regular season									Playoffs
Season	Team	League	GP	W	L	T/OT	MIN	GA	SO	GAA	SV%	GP	W	L	MIN	GA	SO	GAA	SV%
1983–84	Belleville Bulls	OHL	44	22	19	0	2335	162	1	4.16		1	0	0	30	3	0	6.00
1984–85	Belleville Bulls	OHL	47	26	19	0	2544	180	1	4.25		14	7	5	761	47	1	3.71
1985–86	Belleville Bulls	OHL	3	2	1	0	180	11	0	3.67	.893	20	9	6	1133	68	0	3.60
1985–86	New Jersey Devils	NHL	18	4	9	1	901	77	0	5.13	.840	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
1986–87	Maine Mariners	AHL	20	9	7	2	1151	70	0	3.65	.873	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
1986–87	New Jersey Devils	NHL	22	4	13	2	1114	89	0	4.79	.844	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
1987–88	Utica Devils	AHL	59	22	27	8	3404	208	1	3.67	.880	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
1988–89	Utica Devils	AHL	41	17	18	6	2432	150	2	3.70	.872	4	1	3	220	18	0	4.91
1988–99	New Jersey Devils	NHL	3	1	1	0	140	11	0	4.71	.831	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
1989–90	Utica Devils	AHL	38	20	13	1	2087	138	0	3.97	.870	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
1990–91	Canadian NT	Intl	34	17	14	2	1879	110	2	3.51		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
1991–92	New Jersey Devils	NHL	26	13	7	1	1363	69	2	3.04	.892	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
1992–93	New Jersey Devils	NHL	42	21	16	4	2389	146	2	3.67	.876	2	0	1	78	5	0	3.83	.872
1993–94	Ottawa Senators	NHL	63	11	41	4	3319	254	0	4.59	.859	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
1994–95	Ottawa Senators	NHL	9	0	6	2	472	32	0	4.07	.867	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
1994–95	Boston Bruins	NHL	8	5	1	0	373	19	0	3.06	.864	1	0	0	25	1	0	2.40	.900
1995–96	Boston Bruins	NHL	27	10	13	3	1380	79	1	3.43	.867	1	0	1	60	6	0	6.00	.786
1996–97	Colorado Avalanche	NHL	23	11	8	2	1200	53	1	2.65	.909	1	0	0	20	1	0	3.00	.923
1997–98	Colorado Avalanche	NHL	23	8	7	4	1162	45	1	2.32	.923	1	0	0	1	0	0	0.00	.000
1998–99	Colorado Avalanche	NHL	21	11	8	1	1086	52	0	2.87	.894	1	0	0	9	1	0	6.68	.833
1999–2000	Washington Capitals	NHL	13	3	6	1	611	28	2	2.75	.910	1	0	0	20	1	0	3.00	.833
2000–01	Washington Capitals	NHL	12	3	5	2	660	27	0	2.45	.915	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
2001–02	Washington Capitals	NHL	17	4	5	3	710	36	0	3.04	.878	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
2002–03	Washington Capitals	NHL	5	1	3	1	217	17	0	4.70	.823	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
NHL totals			332	110	149	31	17,092	1034	9	3.63	.877	8	0	2	213	15	0	4.23	.870

Medal record

Competitor for Canada
Ice hockey
World Junior Championships
Gold	1985 Helsinki
Silver	1986 Hamilton

International


Year	Team	Event	GP	W	L	T	MIN	GA	SO	GAA	SV%
1985	Canada	WJC	5	3	0	2	300	13	1	2.60
1986	Canada	WC	5	4	1	0	300	14	0	2.80
Junior totals			10	7	1	2	600	27	1	2.70

References

↑ "An Avalanche of changes, Sherman in, Granato out". NHL. 2009-06-03. Retrieved 2010-04-25.
↑ Collins gem Hockey Facts and Stats 2009–10, p.517, Andrew Podnieks, Harper Collins Publishers Ltd, Toronto, Canada, ISBN 978-1-55468-621-6