A two-time Stanley Cup champion goalie, he is most known for his impressive playoff performances and Vezina Trophy win in 1992.
Bill Ranford, born on December 14, 1966, is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender and current director of goaltending for the Los Angeles Kings. He is the only goaltender in history to have been awarded the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, Canada Cup, and Men's Ice Hockey World Championship.
Ranford was born in Brandon, Manitoba, but grew up in various places across Canada and even lived in Germany for a few years due to his father's service in the Canadian Armed Forces. As a child, he took figure skating lessons before eventually deciding to pursue goaltending.
He played for local teams in Portage la Prairie, Manitoba, Prince Edward Island, and Red Deer, Alberta. Ranford attended New Westminster Secondary School while playing for the Western Hockey League's New Westminster Bruins, graduating in 1985. That same month, he was drafted by the Boston Bruins in the third round (52nd overall) of the 1985 NHL Entry Draft.
Ranford's post-draft year was eventful, being named to the WHL Second All-Star Team and seeing his first NHL action after the WHL season ended. He won three of four games for Boston before going 0-2 in the playoffs. The following year, he was assigned to the Moncton Golden Flames of the AHL, where he went 30-13-4 to start the season, eventually spending the rest of the year with Boston.
The replacement of Bruins coach Butch Goring with Terry O'Reilly led to Ranford falling out of favor and eventually being dealt on March 8, 1988, from the Boston Bruins with Geoff Courtnall to the Edmonton Oilers in exchange for Andy Moog.
Ranford's time with the Edmonton Oilers was a highlight of his career, as he was part of the team that won the 1990 Stanley Cup Finals. He continued to excel, helping the Oilers win their fifth Stanley Cup in 1991. Ranford's incredible performance in the playoffs led to him being awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy as the MVP of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Throughout his career, Ranford won numerous awards and honors, including two Stanley Cups, a Canada Cup, and the 1994 Men's Ice Hockey World Championship while playing for Canada. He is also a two-time NHL All-Star (1991, 1992). Ranford was inducted into the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame in 2005 and the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame in 2006.
After retiring from professional hockey, Ranford transitioned to a coaching role, serving as the goaltending coach for the Edmonton Oilers and Los Angeles Kings. In 2015, he was named the director of goaltending for the Los Angeles Kings, overseeing the development of goaltenders throughout the organization.
Ranford's impressive career and commitment to the sport have cemented his legacy as one of the greatest goaltenders in NHL history.
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