Michael Leighton

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Position Goaltender
Catches Left
Height
Weight		 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
186 lb (85 kg)
NHL Team
F. Teams		 Montreal Canadiens
Chicago Blackhawks
Nashville Predators
Philadelphia Flyers
Nationality Flag of Canada Canada
Born May 19, 1981,
Petrolia, ON, CAN
NHL Draft 165th overall, 1999
Chicago Blackhawks
Pro Career 2001 – present

Michael Leighton (born May 19, 1981 in Petrolia, Ontario, Canada) is a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender currently playing for the Montreal Canadiens.

Contents

[edit] Playing career

Leighton began impressing scouts while playing for the Windsor Spitfires in the Ontario Hockey League. Following his rookie season, he was drafted by the Chicago Blackhawks in the sixth round of the 1999 NHL Entry Draft with the 165th overall pick. He played two more seasons in the OHL before signing an entry level contract with the Blackhawks prior to the 2001-02 AHL season.

He played two seasons in the AHL for the Norfolk Admirals before making his NHL debut on January 8, 2003. He became the first Blackhawks player to record a shutout in his debut during a scoreless tie against the Phoenix Coyotes' Zac Bierk. He would compete with Craig Anderson for back-up duties, and therefore never spent a complete season in the NHL during his time with Chicago.

He would continue to play in the Blackhawks' organization until October 4, 2005, when he was traded to the Buffalo Sabres in exchange for Milan Bartovic. He did not appear in a game with the Sabres, as he spent the season with their AHL affiliate, the Rochester Americans.

On July 13, 2006, Leighton signed as a free agent with the Anaheim Ducks and following training camp, the organization assigned him to their AHL affiliate, the Portland Pirates. When both Ilya Bryzgalov and Jean-Sébastien Giguère were injured, the Ducks recalled him on November 27 to start. However, he was claimed off waivers by the Nashville Predators. After appearing in just twenty minutes of one game with the Predators, Leighton was again placed on waivers, and this time was claimed by the Philadelphia Flyers on January 11, 2007.

The Flyers placed him on a ten-game conditioning stint with the Philadelphia Phantoms, but recalled him early as Robert Esche was injured. Leighton backed up Antero Niittymäki for one game before making his first NHL start in nearly three years on February 10, 2007 in a win against the St. Louis Blues. After playing four games with the last-place Flyers, Leighton was once again placed on waivers. On February 27, he was picked up by the Montreal Canadiens.

[edit] Awards

  • 2001-02: AHL All-Rookie Team

[edit] Records

[edit] Career statistics

[edit] Regular season

   
Season Team League GP W L T MIN GA SO GAA SV%
1998-99 Windsor Spitfires OHL 28 4 17 2 1389 112 0 4.84 .867
1999-00 Windsor Spitfires OHL 42 17 17 2 2272 118 1 3.12 .889
2000-01 Windsor Spitfires OHL 54 32 13 5 3035 138 2 2.73 .910
2001-02 Norfolk Admirals AHL 52 27 16 8 3114 111 6 2.14 .920
2002-03 Norfolk Admirals AHL 36 18 13 5 2184 91 4 2.50 .912
2002-03 Chicago Blackhawks NHL 8 2 3 2 447 21 1 2.82 .913
2003-04 Norfolk Admirals AHL 18 10 7 1 1081 33 1 1.83 .926
2003-04 Chicago Blackhawks NHL 34 6 18 8 1988 99 2 2.99 .900
2004-05 Norfolk Admirals AHL 41 20 16 3 2319 78 7 2.02 .921
2005-06 Rochester Americans AHL 40 15 22 1 2316 124 2 3.21 .887
AHL Totals 187 90 74 18 11014 437 20 2.38 .912
NHL Totals 42 8 21 10 2435 120 3 2.96 .902

Statistics as of end of 2005-06 season.

[edit] Playoffs

   
Season Team League GP W L T MIN GA SO GAA SV%
2001-02 Norfolk Admirals AHL 4 1 2 - 238 8 0 2.01 .927
2002-03 Norfolk Admirals AHL 4 3 1 - 240 7 1 1.75 .931
2003-04 Norfolk Admirals AHL 4 2 1 - 212 2 2 0.56 .978
AHL Totals 12 6 4 - 690 17 3 1.47 .944

[edit] References

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