Curtis Sanford Curtis Sanford ( born October 10 , 1979 ) is a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender currently with the Montreal Canadiens organization of the National Hockey League ( NHL ) . Playing career . Sanford played junior hockey for the Wiarton Wolves of the Western Junior C Hockey League , the Collingwood Blues of the Ontario Provincial Junior A Hockey League ( OPJHL ) , the Owen Sound Greys of the Midwestern Junior B Hockey League , and the Owen Sound Platers of the Ontario Hockey League ( OHL ) before turning pro . Undrafted out of junior , he was picked up as a free agent by the St . Louis Blues after his final year with the Platers in 2000 and spent his first five seasons in the club ' s farm system between the Peoria Rivermen of the East Coast Hockey League ( ECHL ) and Worcester IceCats of the American Hockey League ( AHL ) . Sanford earned a call - up with the Blues during the 2002 – 03 season after injuries to goaltenders Fred Brathwaite and Brent Johnson in October . He played in his first game when fellow rookie call - up Reinhard Divis also went down with an injury after the first period on October 17 , 2002 against the Columbus Blue Jackets . He made 12 saves in relief in a 7 - 1 victory for the Blues . Sanford briefly earned the starting position in the absence of the Blues ' usual goaltenders before going down with an injury himself , a high - ankle sprain , on October 24 against the Edmonton Oilers . He returned to start in several more games and posted a 5 – 1 record and a 1 . 96 GAA in his first stint with the Blues before being returned to Worcester . In 2005 – 06 , Sanford appeared poised to play backup to the recently acquired Patrick Lalime . However , as Lalime struggled , Sanford seized the starting position and was having a career year until going down with a sprained ACL in his left knee in March . Before missing the remainder of the season , Sanford had a 13 - 13 - 5 record with a 2 . 66 GAA and . 908 save percentage . The Blues finished in last place that year . Recorvered from his knee injury , Sanford returned the next season and competed with Manny Legace for the starting position . In November , he was sidelined for several games with a groin strain , then re - injured his groin in December , missing an extended period of time . Sanford returned to complete the season but saw his numbers decrease to an 8 - 12 - 5 record with a 3 . 18 GAA and . 888 save percentage . Sanford became an unrestricted free agent in the off - season and on July 3 , 2007 , the Vancouver Canucks signed Sanford to a one - year , $ 600 , 000 contract to back up starting goaltender Roberto Luongo . He appeared in 16 games in the 2007 – 08 season , filling in for Luongo mostly in light of his rib injury in December . Posting a 2 . 83 GAA , he was re - signed to another one - year deal worth $ 650 , 000 by the Canucks on July 3 , 2008 . Before the start of the 2008 – 09 season , Sanford and the Canucks held a contest challenging fans to submit artword for a new mask design . This was to go along with his new nickname of , " The Big C . S . " Sanford ' s nickname , " the Sandman " , inspired his previous mask designs . As Luongo went down with a groin injury in late - November , Sanford assumed the starting position . However , Sanford himself became prone to injury and suffered back spasms in a game against the Columbus Blue Jackets on December 1 , 2008 , before being place on injured reserve with a groin injury on December 30 . With the subsequent acquisition of Jason LaBarbera and the imminent return of Luongo , he was placed on waivers by the Canucks on January 14 , 2009 . Clearing waivers , Sanford was assigned to the Manitoba Moose of the AHL , where he completed the season . In the off - season , Sanford signed a one - year contract with the Montreal Canadiens on July 20 , 2009 .