Michael Leighton
Michael " Mike" Leighton (born 19 May 1981 in Petrolia, Ontario ) is a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender who is under contract with HK Donbass Donetsk from the Kontinental Hockey League since August 2013.
Career
The 1.91 m wide goalie began his professional career with the Windsor Spitfires in the Canadian Junior Football League Ontario Hockey League before being selected in the NHL Entry Draft in 1999 as 165th in the sixth round by the Chicago Blackhawks ( drafted ) was.
For the 2001/02 season the links catcher signed a contract with the Black Hawks, of which he was first employed at the Norfolk Admirals, a farm team in the American Hockey League. On 8 January 2003, the Canadians finally gave his NHL debut for the franchise from Chicago. In the goalless draw against the Phoenix Coyotes Leighton managed to be the first goalkeeper in team history to achieve a shutout in first career game. Nevertheless, the Canadians never spent a full season in the National Hockey League, as it the post of back-up goalie Craig Anderson shared and therefore always had to accumulate at the Norfolk Admirals in the AHL.
In October 2005, Leighton was transferred in exchange for Milan Bartovič to the Buffalo Sabres, but he never graduated from an NHL game for the team, as it was used by the Sabres exclusively with the Rochester Americans in the AHL. In July 2006, the Canadian was passed as a waiver to the Anaheim Ducks, but again, Leighton could not permanently prevail against the goalkeeper Ilya Brysgalow and Jean -Sébastien Giguère, so he still moved to the Nashville Predators in the current season. With the Philadelphia Flyers of the Canadians played in this season, then even for a third franchise in the NHL. On 10 February 2007 he stood for the first time in three years as the starting goalkeeper in the National Hockey League on the ice. Also from the Flyers, Leighton but was soon put to the waiver list so committed him the Montreal Canadiens.
After he had played no use for the Canadiens in the NHL, Michael Leighton was the 2007/08 season for a seventh -round pick in the NHL Entry Draft in 2007 transferred to the Carolina Hurricanes that made him most of the time with the Albany River Rats, their farm team in the AHL, exert. There he was awarded as the best goalkeeper in the AHL with the Aldege " Baz " Bastien Award.
On December 15, 2009 Michael Leighton was again obliged by the Flyers to replace the injured goalkeeper Ray Emery. On 21 December, also the first goalie Brian Boucher and Leighton injured briefly became the first-choice goalkeeper.
When Brian Boucher injured again on 10 May 2010, Leighton got his first playoff use in game five against the Boston Bruins. He brought the shutout begun by Brian Boucher to an end, the Flyers won 4-0. Leighton and the Flyers won the next two games and were the first NHL team since 1975, which after a 0-3 down in the playoffs could still reach the next round.
In the first two games of the 2010 Eastern Conference Finals, Leighton drew up the Flyers with two shutouts, a 2-0 lead against the Montreal Canadiens. On 22 May 2010, he presented with his third shutout in Conference Final on a club record and led the Flyers in five games ( 4-1 ) since 1997 for the first time in the Stanley Cup final, which was, however, recovered after six games by the Chicago Blackhawks. For the Trade Deadline on April 3, 2013, was transferred to the Columbus Blue Jackets, but completed until end of season no use for the Jackets.
Awards and achievements
- 2002 AHL All- Star Classic
- 2002 AHL All- Rookie Team
- 2008 AHL All- Star Classic
- 2008 Aldege " Baz " Bastien Award
- 2008 AHL First All -Star Team
- 2012 AHL All- Star Classic