Ben Scrivens

Lore & Background

Scrivens played junior hockey in the Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL) for the Drayton Valley Thunder, Calgary Canucks, and Spruce Grove Saints. In his final junior season with the Saints, he won 27 games with a 2.43 goals against average and .921 save percentage, earning team MVP and Player of the Year honors. He then played four seasons at Cornell University, where he became the starting goaltender in his sophomore year and finished his collegiate career with 19 shutouts, fourth all-time in NCAA history. His senior season brought First Team All-American recognition, the Ken Dryden Trophy as ECAC goaltender of the year, and a nomination as one of ten finalists for the Hobey Baker Award.

After college, Scrivens signed with the Toronto Maple Leafs as an unrestricted free agent. He began his professional career in the ECHL with the Reading Royals, earning a spot in the ECHL All-Star Classic, before moving up to the AHL's Toronto Marlies. He made his NHL debut with the Maple Leafs in 2011, recording his first career win and later his first NHL shutout.

In June 2013, he was traded to the Los Angeles Kings, where he served as backup to Jonathan Quick and posted consecutive shutouts against the New Jersey Devils and New York Rangers. He was then traded to the Edmonton Oilers in January 2014, where he set the NHL record for most saves in a regular season shutout with 59 against the San Jose Sharks. He later played for the Montreal Canadiens and in the KHL for HC Dinamo Minsk and Salavat Yulaev Ufa before retiring.

Reader's Guide

Ben Scrivens' significance in NHL history is anchored by a single extraordinary performance: on January 29, 2014, as a member of the Edmonton Oilers, he stopped all 59 shots he faced from the San Jose Sharks during regulation time, setting the NHL record for most saves in a regular season shutout. This game also set an Oilers franchise record for most saves in a game, surpassing Bill Ranford's previous mark of 56 from 1993. Beyond this record, Scrivens carved a path from the AJHL through Cornell University, where he became one of the most decorated goaltenders in ECAC history, finishing fourth all-time in NCAA shutouts.

His professional career spanned four NHL teams, the AHL, ECHL, and KHL, and he represented Canada at the 2014 World Championship and the 2018 Winter Olympics, where he helped the team win a bronze medal. After retiring from playing, Scrivens transitioned into hockey management, becoming the team manager of the University of Denver Pioneers while pursuing a master's degree. His career illustrates a journeyman goaltender who achieved a remarkable statistical feat that remains a benchmark in the sport.

Did You Know?

• He studied hotel administration while playing ice hockey at Cornell.