Michael Leighton

Lore & Background

Leighton grew up playing minor hockey in Petrolia, Ontario, for the Petrolia Oilers and later the Petrolia Jets Jr.B. team. He was drafted by the Windsor Spitfires of the Ontario Hockey League in 1998 and by the Chicago Blackhawks in 1999. His NHL debut on January 8, 2003, was notable: he recorded a shutout in a scoreless tie against the Phoenix Coyotes, becoming the first Blackhawks player to do so in his debut. The opposing goaltender, Zac Bierk, also earned his first career shutout, marking the first time two goaltenders in the same game both earned their first career shutouts.

Leighton's career included multiple team changes. After stints with the Blackhawks, Buffalo Sabres (without playing a game), Anaheim Ducks, Nashville Predators, and Philadelphia Flyers, he was claimed off waivers by the Montreal Canadiens in 2007 but did not play for them. He was traded to the Carolina Hurricanes in the 2007 off-season. With the Hurricanes, he served as backup to Cam Ward during the 2008–09 season, appearing in 19 regular season games. In November 2009, after Ward suffered a leg injury, the team signed Manny Legace, and Leighton was claimed off waivers by the Flyers in December 2009.

Leighton's most significant period came with the Flyers in 2010. After injuries to Brian Boucher and Ray Emery, Leighton became the starting goaltender. He started the 2010 Winter Classic, a 2–1 overtime loss to the Boston Bruins. In the playoffs, he relieved an injured Boucher in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals against the Bruins, helping the Flyers complete a comeback from a 3–0 series deficit. In the Eastern Conference Finals against the Montreal Canadiens, Leighton posted three shutouts in five games as the Flyers advanced to the Stanley Cup Finals. He started all six games of the Finals against the Chicago Blackhawks, but the Flyers lost in six games.

Reader's Guide

Michael Leighton's legacy is defined by his improbable 2010 playoff performance with the Philadelphia Flyers. After spending much of the season as a backup and being claimed off waivers, he became the starting goaltender due to injuries and led the Flyers to the Stanley Cup Finals. His three shutouts in the Eastern Conference Finals against the Montreal Canadiens were a key factor in the team's advancement. Leighton's playoff run placed him among a select group of goaltenders who have backstopped a team to a 3–0 series comeback, a feat achieved by only three other NHL teams before 2010. However, his performance in the Finals was less successful, with a goals against average of 3.96 and a save percentage of 0.876 as the Flyers lost to the Chicago Blackhawks. After the 2010 season, Leighton signed a new contract with the Flyers but struggled with injuries and competition, eventually being placed on waivers and assigned to the AHL. He later played in the KHL and returned to the Blackhawks organization before retiring. Leighton's career illustrates the volatility of a goaltender's path, from setting an AHL record for saves in a playoff game to playing a central role in one of the NHL's most dramatic playoff comebacks.

Did You Know?

• Leighton set an AHL record with 98 saves on 101 shots in a five-overtime playoff game on April 24, 2008.
• He became the first Blackhawks player to record a shutout in his NHL debut, in a scoreless tie against the Phoenix Coyotes on January 8, 2003.
• Leighton posted three shutouts in the 2010 Eastern Conference Finals against the Montreal Canadiens.
• He was part of the 2010 Flyers team that became only the fourth in NHL history to overcome a 3–0 series deficit.