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| Bill Ranford | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 Ranford in 2014 | |||
| Born | (1966-12-14)December 14, 1966 (age 58) Brandon,Manitoba, Canada | ||
| Height | 5 ft 11 in (180 cm) | ||
| Weight | 185 lb (84 kg; 13 st 3 lb) | ||
| Position | Goaltender | ||
| Caught | Left | ||
| Played for | Boston Bruins Edmonton Oilers Washington Capitals Tampa Bay Lightning Detroit Red Wings | ||
| National team |  Canada | ||
| NHL draft | 52nd overall,1985 Boston Bruins | ||
| Playing career | 1985–2000 | ||
William Edward Ranford (born December 14, 1966) is a Canadian former professionalice hockeygoaltender and current director of goaltending for theLos Angeles Kings. He was selected in the third round of the1985 NHL Entry Draft, 52nd overall, by theBoston Bruins. Over the course of fifteenNHL seasons Ranford played with Boston, theEdmonton Oilers,Washington Capitals,Tampa Bay Lightning, andDetroit Red Wings, winning twoStanley Cups, aCanada Cup, and the1994 Men's Ice Hockey World Championships while playing for Canada. He is the only goaltender in history to be awarded the MVP of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, Canada Cup/World Cup, & Men's Ice Hockey World Championship.[1]
Ranford was born inBrandon, Manitoba but because his father was in theCanadian Armed Forces, he grew up in various places across Canada and even lived inGermany for a few years. As a child, he tookfigure skating lessons[2] before eventually deciding to go into goaltending. He played for local teams inPortage la Prairie, Manitoba,Prince Edward Island andRed Deer, Alberta.
He attendedNew Westminster Secondary School while playing for theWestern Hockey League'sNew Westminster Bruins, graduating in 1985. That same month, he was drafted by Boston in the 3rd round (52nd overall) in the 1985 NHL Entry Draft. Ranford's post-draft year,1985–86, was an eventful one as he was named to the WHL Second All-Star Team and saw his first NHL action after the WHL season ended, winning three of four games for Boston, before going 0–2 in the playoffs.
To start the next year Boston assigned him to theMoncton Golden Flames of theAHL where he went 3–0 to start the season and wound up spending the rest of the year with Boston. The replacement of Bruins coachButch Goring withTerry O'Reilly led to Ranford falling out of favour and eventually being dealt on March 8, 1988 from theBoston Bruins withGeoff Courtnall to theEdmonton Oilers in exchange forAndy Moog.
Prior to the trade he had spent most of the1987–88 season with the AHL'sMaine Mariners but that was the last time he played at the minor-league level.
Ranford won his firstStanley Cup in 1988 as the backup toGrant Fuhr. In 1990 and with constant comparisons to the injured Fuhr, Ranford emerged as a first-rate goaltender, leading the Oilers to the Stanley Cup and winning theConn Smythe Trophy (playoff MVP) in the process. It was the last Cup that the Edmonton Oilers dynasty won. Ranford went on to play the next six seasons in Edmonton before being dealt back to theBoston Bruins on January 11, 1996 forMariusz Czerkawski,Sean Brown, and a first round pick in the 1996 Entry Draft (Matthieu Descoteaux).
After fewer than two seasons with Boston, Ranford was dealt to theWashington Capitals on March 1, 1997 withAdam Oates andRick Tocchet forJason Allison,Anson Carter,Jim Carey, a conditional draft pick in the 1998 Entry Draft, and a third round pick in the 1997 Entry Draft (Lee Goren).
Ranford was initially the starting goaltender for Washington but was injured in the opening game of the1997–98 season and missed a significant portion of the season. When he returned,Olaf Kölzig had taken over the starting position. The Capitals advanced to the Stanley Cup Finals that year; it was Ranford's third trip to the Finals, though Kolzig played every minute of the playoffs. On June 18, 1998, he was dealt to theTampa Bay Lightning for a second round pick in the 1999 Entry Draft and a third round pick in the 1998 Entry Draft (Todd Hornung).
He began the season with Tampa Bay but was traded to theDetroit Red Wings on March 23, 1999 for a conditional draft pick. It was the second deal between the two teams that day. The prior trade broughtWendel Clark and a draft pick to the Red Wings and goaltenderKevin Hodson and a draft pick to the Lightning. TheWendel Clark trade allowed the Ranford deal to go through. Ranford saw his final playoff action that spring, appearing in four games in the second round while starterChris Osgood was injured. Ranford went 2–2 and recorded his 4th career playoff shutout.
His final year in the NHL was 1999–2000, where Ranford returned to Edmonton as a free agent, backing upTommy Salo before announcing his retirement on April 24.
| Medal record | ||
|---|---|---|
| Representing Canada | ||
| World Championships | ||
 | 1994 Milan | |
Ranford representedCanada on a few occasions in his career. He was the starting goaltender in the1991 Canada Cup and went undefeated, playing in all seven of his team's games. He was named to the tournament all-star team.
In 1994 he was Canada's starting goaltender at theWorld Championships, backstopping Canada to its first gold medal since 1961. After stopping the last Finnish shooter, Mika Nieminen, in the decisive shootout in the gold medal game, Ranford jumped into the air and was mobbed by his teammates.
He was chosen to play for Canada a third time in 1996 at the1996 World Cup of Hockey, but this time he was the third-stringer behindCurtis Joseph andMartin Brodeur, and didn't play in any games.
Ranford played net for the Edmonton Oilers alumni team at the2003 Heritage Classic, the first outdoor regular-season game in NHL history. Ranford (14 saves) and Grant Fuhr (11 saves) took turns in goal and held theMontreal Canadiens alumni team scoreless in a 2–0 victory.[3]
Ranford acted in the 2004 movieMiracle, performing the on-ice scenes behind the mask as the goaltender for Team USA,Jim Craig, because he had the same stand-up style as Craig.[4]
Ranford served as the goalie coach for the WHLVancouver Giants for the 2004–2005 and 2005–2006 seasons.[5] On July 10, 2006, he was named the goaltending coach of theLos Angeles Kings.[5] In May 2023 Ranford was named Kings Director of Goaltending.[6] His name was etched onto the Stanley Cup a third time in 2012, and a fourth time in 2014.
He is also a part-owner of theCoquitlam Express of the British Columbia Hockey League (Tier II Junior).[5] The Bill Ranford Trophy is awarded to the top goaltender in Alberta Midget AAA hockey.[7]
Ranford is the uncle of professional ice hockey playerBrendan Ranford.[8] He is married to Kelly, and has two daughters, Cassady and Tristan.[5]
| Regular season | Playoffs | ||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | W | L | T | MIN | GA | SO | GAA | SV% | GP | W | L | MIN | GA | SO | GAA | SV% | ||
| 1983–84 | New Westminster Bruins | WHL | 27 | 10 | 14 | 0 | 1450 | 130 | 0 | 5.38 | .876 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 27 | 2 | 0 | 4.44 | — | ||
| 1984–85 | New Westminster Bruins | WHL | 38 | 19 | 17 | 0 | 2034 | 142 | 0 | 4.19 | — | 7 | 2 | 3 | 309 | 26 | 0 | 5.05 | — | ||
| 1985–86 | New Westminster Bruins | WHL | 53 | 17 | 29 | 1 | 2791 | 225 | 1 | 4.84 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1985–86 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 240 | 10 | 0 | 2.50 | .906 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 120 | 7 | 0 | 3.50 | .841 | ||
| 1986–87 | Moncton Golden Flames | AHL | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 180 | 6 | 0 | 2.00 | .927 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1986–87 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 41 | 16 | 20 | 2 | 2234 | 124 | 3 | 3.33 | .891 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 123 | 8 | 0 | 3.90 | .855 | ||
| 1987–88 | Maine Mariners | AHL | 51 | 27 | 16 | 6 | 2856 | 165 | 1 | 3.47 | .887 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1987–88 | Edmonton Oilers | NHL | 6 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 325 | 16 | 0 | 2.95 | .899 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1988–89 | Edmonton Oilers | NHL | 29 | 15 | 8 | 2 | 1509 | 88 | 1 | 3.50 | .877 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1989–90 | Edmonton Oilers | NHL | 56 | 24 | 16 | 9 | 3107 | 165 | 1 | 3.19 | .887 | 22 | 16 | 6 | 1401 | 59 | 1 | 2.53 | .912 | ||
| 1990–91 | Edmonton Oilers | NHL | 60 | 27 | 27 | 3 | 3415 | 182 | 0 | 3.20 | .893 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 135 | 8 | 0 | 3.56 | .897 | ||
| 1991–92 | Edmonton Oilers | NHL | 67 | 27 | 26 | 10 | 3822 | 228 | 1 | 3.58 | .884 | 16 | 8 | 8 | 909 | 51 | 2 | 3.37 | .895 | ||
| 1992–93 | Edmonton Oilers | NHL | 67 | 17 | 38 | 6 | 3753 | 240 | 1 | 3.84 | .884 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1993–94 | Edmonton Oilers | NHL | 71 | 22 | 34 | 11 | 4070 | 236 | 1 | 3.48 | .898 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1994–95 | Edmonton Oilers | NHL | 40 | 15 | 20 | 3 | 2203 | 133 | 2 | 3.62 | .883 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1995–96 | Edmonton Oilers | NHL | 37 | 13 | 18 | 5 | 2015 | 128 | 1 | 3.81 | .875 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1995–96 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 40 | 21 | 12 | 4 | 2306 | 109 | 1 | 2.84 | .894 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 239 | 16 | 0 | 4.02 | .857 | ||
| 1996–97 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 37 | 12 | 16 | 8 | 2147 | 125 | 2 | 3.49 | .887 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1996–97 | Washington Capitals | NHL | 18 | 8 | 7 | 2 | 1009 | 46 | 0 | 2.74 | .888 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1997–98 | Washington Capitals | NHL | 22 | 7 | 12 | 2 | 1183 | 46 | 0 | 2.79 | .901 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1998–99 | Tampa Bay Lightning | NHL | 32 | 3 | 18 | 3 | 1568 | 102 | 1 | 3.90 | .881 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1998–99 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 244 | 8 | 0 | 1.97 | .918 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 183 | 10 | 1 | 3.28 | .905 | ||
| 1999–00 | Edmonton Oilers | NHL | 16 | 4 | 6 | 3 | 785 | 47 | 0 | 3.59 | .885 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| NHL totals | 647 | 240 | 279 | 76 | 35,936 | 2042 | 15 | 3.41 | .888 | 53 | 28 | 25 | 3110 | 159 | 4 | 3.07 | .897 | ||||
| Year | Team | Event | GP | W | L | T | MIN | GA | SO | GAA | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | Canada | CC | 8 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 480 | 14 | 1 | 1.75 | |
| 1993 | Canada | WC | 6 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 354 | 11 | 2 | 1.86 | |
| 1994 | Canada | WC | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 360 | 7 | 1 | 1.17 | |
| Senior totals | 20 | 17 | 1 | 2 | 1194 | 32 | 4 | 1.61 | |||
| Preceded by | Winner of theConn Smythe Trophy 1990 | Succeeded by |
