Michael Leighton facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Michael Leighton |
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Leighton in 2016
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| Born | May 19, 1981 Petrolia, Ontario, Canada |
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| Height | 6 ft 3 in (191 cm) | ||
| Weight | 186 lb (84 kg; 13 st 4 lb) | ||
| Position | Goaltender | ||
| Caught | Left | ||
| Played for | Chicago Blackhawks Nashville Predators Philadelphia Flyers Carolina Hurricanes HC Donbass |
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| NHL Draft | 165th overall, 1999 Chicago Blackhawks |
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| Playing career | 2001–2019 | ||
Michael W. Leighton (born May 19, 1981) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender (a player who stops the puck from going into the net). He played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for teams like the Chicago Blackhawks, Nashville Predators, Philadelphia Flyers, and Carolina Hurricanes.
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Michael Leighton's Hockey Journey
Early Years and Junior Hockey
Michael Leighton started playing hockey in his hometown of Petrolia, Ontario. He played for local teams like the Petrolia Oilers. When he was 16, he played for the Petrolia Jets.
In 1998, the Windsor Spitfires picked him in the OHL draft. The OHL is a major junior hockey league in Canada. Leighton started to impress scouts while playing for the Spitfires.
Joining the NHL: Chicago Blackhawks
The Chicago Blackhawks drafted Michael in 1999. He was the 165th player picked overall. After two more seasons in the OHL, he signed his first professional contract with the Blackhawks in 2001.
Leighton played for the Norfolk Admirals in the American Hockey League (AHL) for two years. The AHL is a league just below the NHL. He made his NHL debut on January 8, 2003. In that game, he achieved a shutout, meaning he stopped every shot and the other team scored no goals. This was a first for a Blackhawks goalie in their debut game!
Moving Between Teams
Michael Leighton played for the Blackhawks until 2005. Then, he was traded to the Buffalo Sabres. He spent that season playing for their AHL team, the Rochester Americans.
After that, he became a free agent, meaning he could sign with any team. He signed with the Anaheim Ducks in 2006. He was called up to the NHL team when other goalies were injured. But then, the Nashville Predators claimed him. After playing only a short time for them, the Philadelphia Flyers claimed him in 2007.
Leighton spent some time with the Flyers' AHL team, the Philadelphia Phantoms. He played a few games for the Flyers before being claimed by the Montreal Canadiens. He didn't play for Montreal that season. Later, he was traded to the Carolina Hurricanes. He played for their AHL team, the Albany River Rats, and also for the Hurricanes in the NHL.
In 2008, Leighton set an AHL record. He made an amazing 98 saves in a playoff game! That game went into five overtimes, which was also an AHL record.
Return to the Flyers and Playoff Heroics
During the 2008–09 season, Leighton was the backup goalie for the Carolina Hurricanes. In 2009, he was claimed by the Philadelphia Flyers again. He became the starting goalie when other players got injured.
Leighton even started in the famous 2010 Winter Classic game. This was a big outdoor game against the Boston Bruins. He played well, but the Flyers lost in overtime.
Later in the 2010 playoffs, Leighton became a hero for the Flyers. Their starting goalie got injured, and Leighton stepped in. He helped the Flyers come back from being down 3–0 in a series against the Boston Bruins. This was a huge comeback, only done by a few teams in NHL history!
In the 2010 Eastern Conference Finals, Leighton was incredible. He allowed only seven goals in five games against the Montreal Canadiens. He had three shutouts in that series, helping the Flyers reach the Stanley Cup Finals. This tied an NHL record for most shutouts in a playoff series.
The Flyers faced the Chicago Blackhawks in the Stanley Cup Finals. Leighton started all six games. Even though he played hard, the Blackhawks won the series.
Later Career and Retirement
After the Finals, Leighton signed a new contract with the Flyers. However, he had back surgery and missed time. He later played mostly in the AHL for the Adirondack Phantoms.
He was traded to the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2013 but didn't play any games for them. He then played in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) for HC Donbass in Ukraine. He set a team record for shutouts there.
Leighton returned to the Chicago Blackhawks organization in 2014. He played for their AHL team, the Rockford IceHogs. He also had a brief appearance for the Blackhawks in 2016.
He later signed with the Carolina Hurricanes again in 2016. In 2017, he signed with the Tampa Bay Lightning and played for their AHL team, the Syracuse Crunch. He was traded a few more times, playing for teams like the Tucson Roadrunners, Chicago Wolves, and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.
In his final season, 2018–19, he played for the Ontario Reign and Utica Comets in the AHL. He signed a contract with the Vancouver Canucks (the NHL team for the Comets) before finishing his career with the Comets.
On October 7, 2019, Michael Leighton announced he was retiring from professional hockey after 18 seasons.
In 2025, Michael Leighton was inducted into the AHL Hall of Fame. This is a special honor for players who have had great careers in the AHL.
Michael Leighton's Life Off the Ice
Michael Leighton moved to Sarnia, Ontario, when he was four years old. For the past ten years, he has lived in LaSalle, Ontario, with his wife, Jennifer, and their three children. All three of his kids play hockey, and Michael helps coach their teams.
Michael Leighton's Hockey Achievements
Michael Leighton holds several impressive records:
- He tied the NHL record for most shutouts in one Stanley Cup Playoffs series with 3. He did this in the 2010 Eastern Conference Finals against the Montreal Canadiens.
- He holds the Norfolk Admirals franchise record for most career regular season wins (75) and most career regular season shutouts (18).
- He was the first goalie in Chicago Blackhawks history to record a shutout in his very first game.
- He made the most saves in an AHL game with 98.
- He holds HC Donbass franchise records for most regular season shutouts in a season (6) and most career regular season shutouts (6).
- He played in the second longest game in AHL history and the second longest game in KHL history.
- He holds the AHL record for most career shutouts with 50.
Awards and Honours
Michael Leighton received several awards during his career:
| Award | Year |
|---|---|
| OHL | |
| All-Star Team West | 2000 |
| AHL | |
| AHL All-Rookie Team | 2002 |
| Aldege "Baz" Bastien Memorial Award (Best AHL Goalie) | 2008 |
| First All-Star Team | 2008 |
| AHL All-Star Classic | 2002, 2008, 2012, 2016, 2017 |
| AHL Hall of Fame | 2025 |
