Playing career

Eric Daze began his career playing midget with Laval in Quebec AAA Midget Hockey League. In the 1992-93, he joined the Hull Olympiques of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) before being traded to the Beauport Harfangs late in the season. Despite starring for Beauport, and a strong junior career (finishing with 261 points in 191 games), Daze's value amongst NHL scouts dropped sharply due to his unwillingness to play a rough game, despite possessing the abilities for it.

Daze was drafted in the fourth round, 90th overall, in the 1993 NHL Entry Draft by the Chicago Blackhawks (with the draft pick the Blackhawks received with Stephane Beauregard for Dominik Hasek). He had early success and was named to the NHL All-Rookie Team in 1996 after scoring 30 goals as a rookie. He scored at least 20 goals in each season between 1996 and 2003, even when struggling with injuries, and was named to the NHL All-Star Game in 2002. Daze who was appearing in his first All-Star Game, was named game MVP (two goals/one assist), becoming the first Blackhawk player to win the award since Bobby Hull in 1971. He often polarized Chicago fans because he showed a reluctance to involve himself in the physical (hitting) aspect of the game despite his prototypical power forward build. Instead he displayed a combination of size and good scoring ability, especially during key, or clutch, moments of the game. He possessed a quick wrist shot and an excellence with one-timers.

Unfortunately, Daze ran into severe back problems during his career, which limited him to only 19 games in the 2003-04 NHL season. Even after three herniated disc surgeries in a five-year span, pain was still a problem in Daze's back when he attempted to return to the Blackhawks in 2005. He quietly left professional hockey after appearing in only the season opener that year. On March 20, 2010, Daze officially announced his retirement on the Comcast Sportsnet pregame show before the Blackhawks game.

Awards

• 1994 — QMJHL First All-Star Team
• 1995 — QMJHL First All-Star Team
• 1995 — QMJHL Frank J. Selke Memorial Trophy (Most Gentlemanly Player)
• 1995 — CHL Sportsman of the Year Award
• 1996 — NHL All-Rookie Team
• 2002 — Played in NHL All-Star Game
• 2002 — NHL All-Star Game MVP

Career statistics

				Regular season						Playoffs
Season	Team	League		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1990-91	Laval Regents	QAHA		30	25	20	45	30		—	—	—	—	—
1991-92	Laval Regents	QAAA		35	30	29	59	40		12	8	10	18	8
1991-92	Hull Olympiques	QMJHL		1	0	0	0	0		—	—	—	—	—
1992-93	Hull Olympiques	QMJHL		55	13	19	32	14		—	—	—	—	—
1992-93	Beauport Harfangs	QMJHL		13	6	17	23	10		—	—	—	—	—
1993-94	Beauport Harfangs	QMJHL		66	59	48	107	31		15	16	8	24	2
1994-95	Beauport Harfangs	QMJHL		57	54	45	99	20		16	9	12	21	23
1994-95	Chicago Blackhawks	NHL		4	1	1	2	2		16	0	1	1	4
1995-96	Chicago Blackhawks	NHL		80	30	23	53	18		10	3	5	8	0
1996-97	Chicago Blackhawks	NHL		71	22	19	41	16		6	2	1	3	2
1997-98	Chicago Blackhawks	NHL		80	31	11	42	22		—	—	—	—	—
1998-99	Chicago Blackhawks	NHL		72	22	20	42	22		—	—	—	—	—
1999-00	Chicago Blackhawks	NHL		59	23	13	36	28		—	—	—	—	—
2000-01	Chicago Blackhawks	NHL		79	33	24	57	16		—	—	—	—	—
2001-02	Chicago Blackhawks	NHL		82	38	32	70	36		5	0	0	0	2
2002-03	Chicago Blackhawks	NHL		54	22	22	44	14		—	—	—	—	—
2003-04	Chicago Blackhawks	NHL		19	4	7	11	0		—	—	—	—	—
2004-05	DNP — NHL lockout	—		—	—	—	—	—		—	—	—	—	—
2005-06	Chicago Blackhawks	NHL		1	0	0	0	2		—	—	—	—	—
NHL totals				601	226	172	398	176		37	5	7	12	8
QMJHL totals				192	132	129	261	75		31	25	20	45	25

International statistics

Year	Team	Event	Result	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1995	Canada	WJC	01 !	7	8	2	10	0
1998	Canada	WC	6th	3	1	4	5	0
1999	Canada	WC	4th	2	0	1	1	0
Junior international totals				7	8	2	10	0
Senior international totals				5	1	5	6	0

[ Source: Wikipedia ]