Craig Richard Billington (born September 11, 1966) is a
Canadian
Canadians (french: Canadiens) are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of ...
former professional
ice hockey
Ice hockey (or simply hockey) is a team sport played on ice skates, usually on an ice skating rink with lines and markings specific to the sport. It belongs to a family of sports called hockey. In ice hockey, two opposing teams use ice hock ...
goaltender
In ice hockey, the goaltender (commonly referred to as the goalie) is the player responsible for preventing the hockey puck from entering their team's net, thus preventing the opposing team from scoring. The goaltender mostly plays in or near t ...
. He played with several teams in a 15-year
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League (NHL; french: Ligue nationale de hockey—LNH, ) is a professional ice hockey league in North America comprising 32 teams—25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. It is considered to be the top ranked professional ...
career, always known as "Biller," and serves as an assistant general manager for the
Colorado Avalanche
The Colorado Avalanche (colloquially known as the Avs) are a professional ice hockey team based in Denver. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference. The Avalanche play thei ...
, and the General Manager of the
American Hockey League
The American Hockey League (AHL) is a professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary Minor league#Ice hockey, developmental league for the National Hockey League (NHL). Since the 2010–11 AHL se ...
Colorado Eagles
The Colorado Eagles are a professional minor league ice hockey team based in Loveland, Colorado. The Eagles play in the Pacific Division of the American Hockey League.
The Eagles were founded as an expansion franchise in 2003 in the Central Hoc ...
.
Playing career
Pre-Junior
As a youth, Billington played in the 1979
Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament
The Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament (french: Tournoi international de hockey pee-wee de Québec) is an annual minor ice hockey event in Quebec City. The tournament was founded in 1960 to coincide with the Quebec Winter Carnival, ...
with a
minor ice hockey
Minor hockey is an umbrella term for amateur ice hockey which is played below the junior age level. Players are classified by age, with each age group playing in its own league. The rules, especially as it relates to body contact, vary from cla ...
team from Stoneybrook in
London, Ontario
London (pronounced ) is a city in southwestern Ontario, Canada, along the Quebec City–Windsor Corridor. The city had a population of 422,324 according to the 2021 Canadian census. London is at the confluence of the Thames River, approximate ...
.
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. He was drafted by the
Belleville Bulls
The Belleville Bulls were a junior ice hockey team, founded in 1981 and based in Belleville, Ontario, Canada. The team played in the Eastern Division of the Eastern Conference of the Ontario Hockey League. The team moved to Hamilton, Ontario at ...
in the fourth round, 51st overall in the 1983 OHL Priority Draft.
Junior hockey
Belleville Bulls (1983–1986)
Billington joined the
Belleville Bulls
The Belleville Bulls were a junior ice hockey team, founded in 1981 and based in Belleville, Ontario, Canada. The team played in the Eastern Division of the Eastern Conference of the Ontario Hockey League. The team moved to Hamilton, Ontario at ...
of the
Ontario Hockey League
The Ontario Hockey League (OHL; french: Ligue de hockey de l'Ontario (LHO)) is one of the three major junior ice hockey leagues which constitute the Canadian Hockey League. The league is for players aged 16–19. There are exceptions for overag ...
for the
1983–84 season. In his rookie season, Billington appeared in 44 games, earning a record of 20–19–0 with a 4.16 GAA. In one post-season game, Billington had a GAA of 6.00 as the Bulls lost to the
Oshawa Generals
The Oshawa Generals are a junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League. They are based in Oshawa, Ontario, Canada. The team is named for General Motors, an early sponsor (commercial), sponsor which has its Canadian headquarters in Oshawa. ...
in the Leyden Division quarter-finals.
Billington returned to Belleville for the
1984–85 season. In 47 games, Billington earned a record of 26–19–0 with a 4.25 GAA, helping the Bulls finish second in the Leyden Division. In the playoffs, Billington posted a GAA of 2.71 in 14 games, as the Bulls lost to the
Peterborough Petes
The Peterborough Petes are a junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League. The team has played at the Peterborough Memorial Centre in Peterborough, Ontario, Canada, since 1956, and is the oldest continuously operating team in the league.
...
in the Leyden Division finals. Following the season, Billington was named the winner of the
Bobby Smith Trophy
The Bobby Smith Trophy is awarded annually to the Ontario Hockey League Scholastic Player of the Year, who best combines high standards of play and academic excellence. The trophy is named for Bobby Smith, a former Ottawa 67's player. It is symbo ...
, awarded to the OHL Scholastic Player of the Year. Billington was also named to the OHL First All-Star Team.
In
1985–86, Billington returned to the Bulls late in the season after spending most of the year with the
New Jersey Devils
The New Jersey Devils are a professional sports, professional ice hockey team based in Newark, New Jersey. The Devils compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), Eastern ...
of the
NHL
The National Hockey League (NHL; french: Ligue nationale de hockey—LNH, ) is a professional ice hockey league in North America comprising 32 teams—25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. It is considered to be the top ranked professional ...
. In three regular season games, Billington had a 2–1–0 record with a 3.67 GAA and a .893 save percentage. Billington's return to the Bulls provided a boost in the post-season, as in 20 games, Billington posted a GAA of 3.60, leading Belleville to the
J. Ross Robertson Cup
The J. Ross Robertson Cup is a Canadian ice hockey trophy. It is awarded annually in junior ice hockey to the champion of the Ontario Hockey League playoffs. It was donated by John Ross Robertson to the Ontario Hockey Association in 1910, and ...
finals. In the final round, the Bulls lost four games to two to the
Guelph Platers
The Guelph Platers were a junior ice hockey team based in Guelph, Ontario, Canada. The team played in the Ontario Hockey League, Ontario Junior Hockey League, and Southern Ontario Junior A Hockey League. They were originally known as the CMC's un ...
.
Professional career
New Jersey Devils (1984–1993)
Billington was drafted by the
New Jersey Devils
The New Jersey Devils are a professional sports, professional ice hockey team based in Newark, New Jersey. The Devils compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), Eastern ...
in the second round, 23rd overall at the
1984 NHL Entry Draft
The 1984 NHL Entry Draft was the 22nd NHL Entry Draft. It took place on June 9, 1984, at the Montreal Forum in Montreal, Quebec.
The 1984 Entry Draft is noted for the unusually high number of future Hall of Famers picked, particularly in lower ...
held at the
Montreal Forum
Montreal Forum (french: Le Forum de Montréal) is a historic building located facing Cabot Square in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Called "the most storied building in hockey history" by ''Sporting News'', it was an indoor arena which served as the h ...
in
Montreal, Quebec
Montreal ( ; officially Montréal, ) is the second-most populous city in Canada and most populous city in the Canadian province of Quebec. Founded in 1642 as '' Ville-Marie'', or "City of Mary", it is named after Mount Royal, the triple-pea ...
. Billington was the first goaltender selected in the draft.
The Devils assigned Billington to his junior club, the
Belleville Bulls
The Belleville Bulls were a junior ice hockey team, founded in 1981 and based in Belleville, Ontario, Canada. The team played in the Eastern Division of the Eastern Conference of the Ontario Hockey League. The team moved to Hamilton, Ontario at ...
of the
Ontario Hockey League
The Ontario Hockey League (OHL; french: Ligue de hockey de l'Ontario (LHO)) is one of the three major junior ice hockey leagues which constitute the Canadian Hockey League. The league is for players aged 16–19. There are exceptions for overag ...
for the 1984–85 season.
Billington began the
1985–86 season with New Jersey. On October 26, 1985, Billington made his NHL debut, as he made 23 saves in a 5–2 victory over the
Los Angeles Kings
The Los Angeles Kings are a professional ice hockey team based in Los Angeles. The team competes in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division in the Western Conference and was founded on June 5, 1967, after Jack Kent ...
. In 18 games with the Devils during the season, Billington had a 4–9–1 record with a 5.14 GAA and a .840 save percentage. Late in the season, Billington was assigned to his junior club in Belleville in an effort to get him more playing time.
Billington split the
1986–87 season between the Devils and their
American Hockey League
The American Hockey League (AHL) is a professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary Minor league#Ice hockey, developmental league for the National Hockey League (NHL). Since the 2010–11 AHL se ...
affiliate, the
Maine Mariners. In 20 games with the Mariners during the
1986–87 season, Billington earned a record of 9–7–2 with a 3.65 GAA and a .873 save percentage. With the Devils, Billington played in 22 games, posting a record of 4–13–2 with a 4.79 GAA and a .844 save percentage.
In
1987–88, the Devils assigned Billington to their new AHL affiliate, the
Utica Devils
The Utica Devils were a professional ice hockey team of the American Hockey League (AHL). The team was based in Utica, New York, and played its home games at the Utica Memorial Auditorium.
History
The Utica Devils were AHL affiliate of the Nationa ...
. In 59 games with Utica, Billington had a 22–27–8 record with a 3.67 GAA and a .880 save percentage.
Billington spent a majority of the
1988–89 season with Utica of the AHL. In 41 games, Billington had a record of 17–18–6 with a 3.70 GAA and a .872 save percentage with the club. In four post-season games, Billington posted a 1–3 record with a 4.91 GAA. Billington briefly appeared with New Jersey during the
1988–89 season. In three games with the Devils, Billington earned a record of 1–1–0 with a 4.71 GAA and a .830 save percentage.
Billington remained with Utica for the
1989–90 season. In 38 games, Billington earned a 20–13–1 record with a 3.97 GAA and a .870 save percentage. Billington did not appear in any post-season games for Utica in the 1990 playoffs.
In 1990–91, the Devils allowed Billington to play with the Canadian National Team. In 34 games with Team Canada, Billington posted a 17–14–2 record with a 3.15 GAA.
Billington returned to New Jersey in
1991–92. He remained in the NHL for the entire season for the first time in his career. On December 28, 1991, Billington stopped all 26 shots he faced in a 3–0 win over the
Buffalo Sabres
The Buffalo Sabres are a professional ice hockey team based in Buffalo, New York. The Sabres compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference. The team was established in 1970, along w ...
for his first career shutout. In a back-up role, Billington earned a 13–7–1 record with a team best 3.04 GAA and .892 save percentage. Billington also led the Devils with two shutouts. In the 1992 NHL playoffs, Billington did not see any playing time.
In the
1992–93 season, Billington split his playing time with
Chris Terreri
Christopher Arnold Terreri (born November 15, 1964) is an American professional ice hockey coach and former player. He was inducted as a charter member of the Rhode Island Hockey Hall of Fame in 2018.
Playing career
Terreri was drafted by the N ...
. In 42 games, Billington had a team high 21 victories, as he earned a record of 21–16–4 with a 3.67 GAA and a .876 save percentage. On April 20, 1993, Billington played in his first career NHL playoff game, as he made three saves on four shots in relief of Terreri in a 7–0 loss to the
Pittsburgh Penguins
The Pittsburgh Penguins (colloquially known as the Pens) are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division of the Eastern Conference, and have playe ...
. On April 22, Billington made his first career NHL playoff start, as he stopped 31 shots in a 4–3 loss to the Penguins. Overall, in two playoff games, Billington had a 0–1 record with a 3.83 GAA and a .872 save percentage.
On June 20, 1993, the Devils traded Billington,
Troy Mallette
Troy Matthew Mallette (born February 25, 1970) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. Mallette played in the National Hockey League for the New York Rangers, Edmonton Oilers, New Jersey Devils, Ottawa Senators, Boston Bruins and the ...
, and a fourth round draft pick at the
1993 NHL Entry Draft
The 1993 NHL Entry Draft was the 31st NHL Entry Draft. It took place on June 26, 1993, at the Colisée de Québec in Quebec City, Quebec.
First overall pick Alexandre Daigle is widely regarded today as one of the all-time greatest draft busts ...
to the
Ottawa Senators
The Ottawa Senators (french: Sénateurs d'Ottawa), officially the Ottawa Senators Hockey Club and colloquially known as the Sens, are a professional ice hockey team based in Ottawa. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a membe ...
for
Peter Sidorkiewicz
Peter Paul Sidorkiewicz (born June 29, 1963) is a Polish-born Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender. Sidorkiewicz played in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Hartford Whalers, Ottawa Senators, and New Jersey Devils, represent ...
and future considerations.
Ottawa Senators (1993–1995)
Billington was named the starting goaltender for the
Ottawa Senators
The Ottawa Senators (french: Sénateurs d'Ottawa), officially the Ottawa Senators Hockey Club and colloquially known as the Sens, are a professional ice hockey team based in Ottawa. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a membe ...
after being acquired by the club during the off-season. On October 6, 1993, Billington made his Senators debut, making 26 saves in a 5–5 tie with the
Quebec Nordiques
The Quebec Nordiques (french: Nordiques de Québec, pronounced in Quebec French, in Canadian English; translated "Quebec City Northmen" or "Northerners") were a professional ice hockey team based in Quebec City. The Nordiques played in the W ...
. After starting the season 0–4–1, Billington earned his first victory with Ottawa on October 25th, as he made 23 saves in a 4–1 win over the
Mighty Ducks of Anaheim
Mighty may refer to:
* ''Mighty'' (The Planet Smashers album)
* ''Mighty'' (Kristene DiMarco album)
* ''The Mighty'' (1929 film), a 1929 American action film
*''The Mighty'', a 1998 comedy-drama film
* ''The Mighty'' (comics), a DC Comics title
*Th ...
. During the
1993–94 season, Billington earned a record of 11–41–4 record with a 4.59 GAA and a .859 save percentage in 63 games.
Billington returned to the Senators in
1994–95, backing up
Don Beaupre
Donald William Beaupre (born September 19, 1961) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for 17 seasons with the Minnesota North Stars, Washington Capitals, Ottawa Senators, and Toro ...
, whom the Senators had acquired prior to the season. In nine games with Ottawa, Billington had a 0–6–2 record with a 4.07 GAA and a .867 save percentage.
On April 7, 1995, the Senators traded Billington to the
Boston Bruins
The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston. The Bruins compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference. The team has been in existence since 1924, making t ...
for an eighth round draft pick in the
1995 NHL Entry Draft
The 1995 NHL Entry Draft was the 33rd NHL Entry Draft. It was held at Northlands Coliseum in Edmonton, Alberta. The drafting order was now set partially by a lottery system whereby teams would not be guaranteed first pick if they finished last. I ...
.
Boston Bruins (1994–1996)
Billington finished the
1994–95 backing up goaltender
Blaine Lacher with the
Boston Bruins
The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston. The Bruins compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference. The team has been in existence since 1924, making t ...
. On April 9, 1995, Billington made his Bruins debut, making 22 saves in a 6–5 win over the
Buffalo Sabres
The Buffalo Sabres are a professional ice hockey team based in Buffalo, New York. The Sabres compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference. The team was established in 1970, along w ...
to earn his first victory of the season, after going 0–6–2 with Ottawa. In eight games with Boston, Billington had a 5–1–0 record with a 3.05 GAA and a .864 save percentage. Billington appeared in one playoff game during the 1995 playoffs, going 0–0 with a 2.40 GAA and a .900 save percentage.
Billington returned to the Bruins for the
1995–96 season. In 27 games, Billington posted a 10–13–3 with a 3.44 GAA and a .867 save percentage. In the 1996 playoffs, Billington made one start, allowing six goals in a 6–2 loss to the
Florida Panthers
The Florida Panthers are a professional ice hockey team based in the Miami metropolitan area. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NHL), Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), Eastern ...
.
Florida Panthers (1996)
Billington signed with the
Florida Panthers
The Florida Panthers are a professional ice hockey team based in the Miami metropolitan area. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NHL), Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), Eastern ...
on September 5, 1996. After attending camp with the Panthers, he was made available for the NHL Waiver Draft. On September 30, 1996, the
Colorado Avalanche
The Colorado Avalanche (colloquially known as the Avs) are a professional ice hockey team based in Denver. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference. The Avalanche play thei ...
selected Billington.
Colorado Avalanche (1996–1999)
Billington was selected by the
Colorado Avalanche
The Colorado Avalanche (colloquially known as the Avs) are a professional ice hockey team based in Denver. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference. The Avalanche play thei ...
during the waiver draft held on September 30, 1996. On October 17, Billington made his Avalanche debut, making 30 saves in a 2–1 loss to the
Florida Panthers
The Florida Panthers are a professional ice hockey team based in the Miami metropolitan area. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NHL), Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), Eastern ...
. In his next start, on October 28, Billington stopped all 40 shots he faced in a 1–0 victory over the
Washington Capitals
The Washington Capitals (colloquially known as the Caps) are a professional ice hockey team based in Washington, D.C. The team competes in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL) ...
for his first win with the Avalanche. In 23 games with Colorado during the
1996–97 season, Billington was 11–8–2 with a 2.65 GAA and a .909 save percentage. In one post-season game, Billington played 20 minutes, as he had a 0–0 record with a 3.00 GAA and a .923 save percentage.
Billington returned to Colorado for the
1997–98 season. In 23 games, Billington posted a 8–7–4 record with a 2.32 GAA and a .923 save percentage. In the 1998 post-season, Billington saw one minute of action.
In
1998–99, Billington had a record of 11–8–1 with a 2.87 GAA and a .894 save percentage in 21 games. In the 1999 playoffs, Billington appeared in one game, playing nine minutes. He had a 0–0 record with a 6.68 GAA and a .833 save percentage.
On July 16, 1999, the Avalanche traded Billington to the
Washington Capitals
The Washington Capitals (colloquially known as the Caps) are a professional ice hockey team based in Washington, D.C. The team competes in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL) ...
for future considerations.
Washington Capitals (1999–2003)
Billington made his debut with the
Washington Capitals
The Washington Capitals (colloquially known as the Caps) are a professional ice hockey team based in Washington, D.C. The team competes in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL) ...
on October 19, 1999, as he played the third period against the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim in relief of starting goalie
Olaf Kolzig
Olaf or Olav (, , or British ; Old Norse: ''Áleifr'', ''Ólafr'', ''Óleifr'', ''Anleifr'') is a Scandinavian and German given name. It is presumably of Proto-Norse origin, reconstructed as ''*Anu-laibaz'', from ''anu'' "ancestor, grand-father" a ...
. In 20 minutes of playing time, Billington made three saves on six shots in a 7–1 loss. On October 31, Billington made his first start with the Capitals, making 20 saves in a 2–1 loss to the
San Jose Sharks
The San Jose Sharks are a professional ice hockey team based in San Jose, California. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division in the Western Conference, and are owned by San Jose Sports & Entertainm ...
. In his next start, on November 20, Billington stopped all 28 shots he faced in a 3–0 victory over the
Boston Bruins
The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston. The Bruins compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference. The team has been in existence since 1924, making t ...
for his first win as a member of the Capitals. In 13 games during the
1999–2000 season, Billington had a 3–6–1 record with a 2.75 GAA and a .910 save percentage. In one playoff appearance during the 2000 playoffs, Billington allowed a goal in 20 minutes of playing time, as he had a 0–0 record with a 3.00 GAA and a .833 save percentage.
Billington appeared in 12 games with the Capitals during the
2000–01 season, earning a 3–5–2 record with a 2.45 GAA and a .915 save percentage.
Billington continued his back-up duties during the
2001–02 season with the Capitals. In 17 games, Billington had a 4–5–3 record with a 3.04 GAA and a .878 save percentage.
In the
2002–03, Billington saw limited playing time. In six games, he posted a record of 1–3–1 with a 4.70 GAA and a .823 save percentage. On January 7, 2003, Billington announced his retirement.
Later career
Upon his retirement, Billington joined the Colorado Avalanche's staff, eventually working up to an assistant general manager position in 2009. In the 2016–17 season, he was named the general manager of the Avalanche's
American Hockey League
The American Hockey League (AHL) is a professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary Minor league#Ice hockey, developmental league for the National Hockey League (NHL). Since the 2010–11 AHL se ...
affiliate, the
San Antonio Rampage
The San Antonio Rampage were a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League based in San Antonio, Texas. The Rampage was primarily owned by Spurs Sports & Entertainment throughout the team's existence. In 2020, the franchise was sold ...
. The following season, he held the same position with the Avalanche's new affiliate, the
Colorado Eagles
The Colorado Eagles are a professional minor league ice hockey team based in Loveland, Colorado. The Eagles play in the Pacific Division of the American Hockey League.
The Eagles were founded as an expansion franchise in 2003 in the Central Hoc ...
.
Career statistics
Regular season and playoffs
International
Awards and honors
*Directorate Award (Best Goaltender), 1985 IIHF world junior hockey championships
[Collins gem Hockey Facts and Stats 2009–10, p.517, Andrew Podnieks, Harper Collins Publishers Ltd, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, ]
*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
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Billington, Craig
1966 births
Living people
Belleville Bulls players
Boston Bruins players
Canadian ice hockey goaltenders
Colorado Avalanche coaches
Colorado Avalanche executives
Colorado Avalanche players
Ice hockey people from Ontario
Maine Mariners players
National Hockey League All-Stars
New Jersey Devils draft picks
New Jersey Devils players
Ottawa Senators players
Sportspeople from London, Ontario
Utica Devils players
Washington Capitals players
Canadian ice hockey coaches