Mike Vernon (ice hockey)
Michael Vernon ( born February 24, 1963 in Calgary, Alberta ) is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender and the Detroit Red Wings could win the Stanley Cup with the Calgary Flames. In 1997 he was elected most valuable player of the playoffs and his jersey number 30 is the second number in the history of the Calgary Flames, which is no longer awarded.
- 5.1 NHL
- 5.2 Calgary Flames
Career
Junior League
Mike Vernon began his career with the Calgary Canucks of the AJHL Development League before he joined the WHL, one of the three largest Canadian junior leagues in 1980 with the Calgary Wranglers. After the first season he was selected by the Calgary Flames in the NHL Entry Draft in 1981 in the third round at position 56. But he remained in the WHL and received the awards in his second year as Most Valuable Player and Best Goalkeeper of the WHL. The Portland Winter Hawks were in season champions of the WHL and thus the representative of the League in the fight for the Memorial Cup. For the tournament, they took on Vernon in her team, but could not win the Cup.
The 1982/83 season he spent with the Wranglers again, but was re-appointed to the squad for the finals of the Winter Hawks to the Memorial Cup. This time they were able to win the title, and Vernon, after he has been appointed for the second time to the best goalkeepers in the WHL, awarded to the best goalkeeper in the final round.
Difficult start with the pros
In the season 1983/84 Vernon moved to the pros and got to play 11 minutes in the NHL for the Calgary Flames, embarrassed, however, when he conceded four goals in the short time, even though he only got six shots on goal. On another NHL first use was therefore not to think, and Vernon played the rest of the season with the Colorado Flames, the farm team of Calgary in the Central Hockey League, where he won 30 of his 46 games. But the league was disbanded after the season, and thus the team.
Vernon played the 1984/85 season at another farm team of the Calgary Flames in the American Hockey League. With the Moncton Golden Flames but he was not a particularly good year. 1985/86 it was better and after he was able to perform well for Moncton in the AHL and the Salt Lake Golden Eagles of the IHL, he was recalled to the NHL team the Flames, where he held the post of goalkeeper Reggie Lemelin. 18 times he came in the regular season to use and showed very good performances, so he still displaced goalkeeper Lemelin out of the gate before the playoffs. With Vernon as the number one they made it to the Stanley Cup final and had to be only there beat the Montreal Canadiens.
First Stanley Cup
1986/87 and 1987/88 could lead Vernon very good performances in the Calgary Flames back into the playoffs, on the second round but they never came out. In 1988 Vernon part for the first time at the NHL All-Star Game. Another four participations should follow in the course of his career. His best season up to that point, he played 1988/89, when he won 52 games 37 and only six defeats allowed. And in the playoffs, it ran better and Vernon led the Flames to the Stanley Cup final again, where, as already three years earlier, met the Montreal Canadiens. This time the Calgary Flames prevailed and won the first Stanley Cup in their history. Vernon had also this time big part in the success of the team.
Mike Vernon also brought in the years to good performance, but the team was unable to build on the success of 1989. In addition to that Vernon had gotten with Trevor Kidd a young competitors around the square root of the goalkeeper. In summer 1994, Vernon was transferred from the Calgary Flames to the Detroit Red Wings.
From goalkeeper to playoff hero
In Detroit, he was in because of the lockout shortened to 48 games season 1994 /95, the number one, but also had there with Chris Osgood a young aspiring goalkeepers in the neck. In the playoffs, but Vernon was undisputed and reached the same with the Red Wings, the Stanley Cup final, which they lost 0:4 but smooth. In the season 1995 /96 Vernon took on the post of back-up goalies again. While he was still completing another 32 games, but to the outstanding playing Osgood, who won 39 of his 50 games, he did not come over. Together they were honored to receive after the season the William M. Jennings Trophy, which is awarded to the goalkeeper whose team has conceded the fewest goals.
1996/97 saw the constellation at the goalies not look much different. Osgood had now finished his high-flying, and both goalkeepers were back from a performance point at eye level, but the younger Osgood received more operations than Vernon. But when queuing the playoffs to coach Scotty Bowman decided for the more experienced Vernon as number one. Bowman should not be disappointed. Vernon played the best playoff of his career with a Gegentorschnitt of less than two goals against per game and a catch rate of 92.7 percent. In the end, the Red Wings won the Stanley Cup. It was the first triumph of Detroit since 1955. Mike Vernon was honored for his outstanding performance in the final round with the Conn Smythe Trophy as MVP of the playoffs.
San Jose, Florida and Minnesota
Despite everything, Vernon was only a few months later transferred from the Red Wings to the San Jose Sharks. The Sharks had been ailing goalkeeper in recent years, which is why Mike Vernon was exactly right for them. He was the clear number one and with him made it the Sharks back into the playoffs. He played two years for the Sharks and then the end of December 1999 was transferred to the Florida Panthers. There goalkeeper Trevor Kidd, the Vernon remembered from his time in Calgary, had suffered a serious shoulder injury and they needed a new experienced goalkeeper.
As part of the NHL Expansion Draft 2000 Vernon was selected by the Minnesota Wild.
Return & End of career
However, he never played for the game, but he was transferred the same day to his home team to Calgary. In his first year after his return to the Calgary Flames, he shared with Fred Brathwaite the post of goalkeeper but could show no particularly good performances. 2001/ 02 he was only behind goalkeeper Roman Turek.
In September 2002, Mike Vernon announced end of his career.
On 6 February 2007, the Calgary Flames have a banner with the number 30 hung in honor of Mike Vernon in a ceremony at the hall ceiling of the ice rink, which Vernon's number is officially closed and is awarded to no more players on the team.
Lanny McDonald, along with Vernon in 1989 won the Stanley Cup and its number 9 was the most number one locked in Calgary, said: " Vernie is the biggest reason we are all wearing Stanley Cup ring ( ... ) Calgary can be proud. of Their hometown boy. " ( " Vernie " is the most important reason that we all have Stanley Cup rings. ( ... ) Calgary can be proud of him. )
Working in Management
On 17 July 2008 was Mike Vernon of the Tampa Bay Lightning committed as Assistant to the Vice President of Hockey Operations and to advise on its position in hockey -related things and support the training of goalkeepers.
Others
Vernon is one of the players who were involved in the Brawl in Hockeytown 1997. It is a mass brawl between the Detroit Red Wings and the Colorado Avalanche. Vernon fought against legendary goalkeeper Patrick Roy and went " victorious " in the battle out. While it was hardly something out of the fight, Roy was ravaged and had a laceration on his head.
NHL stats
Awards and achievements
Records
NHL
Playoffs
- 5th place as a goalkeeper with most games - 138 Games
- 5th place as a goalkeeper with the most completed Minutes - 8214 minutes
Calgary Flames
Regular Season
- Most games played by a goalie - 526 Games
- Most completed minutes of play a goalkeeper - 29,650 minutes
- Most wins by a goalie - 259 Wins
Playoffs
- Most games played by a goalie - 81 Games
- Most completed minutes of play a goalkeeper - 4773 minutes
- Most wins by a goalkeeper - 43 Wins