Born in Trois-Rivieres, Quebec on June 14, 1978, centre Steve Begin was a 2nd round draft choice of the Calgary Flames in 1996. Following his second season of junior hockey spent with the Val d'Or Foreurs, Begin joined the St. John Flames of the AHL for their playoff run in 1997. He had an eventful 1997-98 season, opening the year with the Calgary Flames and playing his first NHL game versus the Detroit Red Wings. He also spent time with his junior club as well as joining Team Canada for the World Junior Championships, where he served as an alternate captain. The 1998-99 season was spent entirely in the AHL with St. John, but Begin returned to the National Hockey League the following year. In 13 games he managed two points, including his first NHL goal that came against Sean Burke and the Phoenix Coyotes. The rest of the season Begin returned to the AHL Flames and honed his game.



In 2000-01, Begin enjoyed his most rewarding season of professional hockey. While he was limited to just four NHL contests, Begin had a solid season on the farm, scoring 14 goals and 28 points in 58 games. However, his best hockey was saved for the post season when he won the Jack Butterfield Trophy as the playoff MVP on the strength of ten goals and seventeen points in 19 playoff games en route to a Calder Cup Championship. The feisty centre cracked the Calgary roster out of training camp in 2001 and went on to play with the club up until the end of the 2002-03 season before being acquired by the Buffalo Sabres in the summer of 2003. Begin didn't even get the opportunity to suit up for the Sabres before he was claimed in the Waiver Draft by the Montreal Canadiens.