Michael Leighton

Michael "Mike" Leighton (born May 19, 1981) is a professional ice hockey goaltender currently playing for the HC Donbass of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL).
==Playing career==
Leighton grew up playing minor hockey in his hometown of Petrolia, Ontario for the Petrolia Oilers of the OMHA Bluewater League and AAA for the Lambton Lightning of the Alliance League .
At age 16, he played for the Petrolia Jets Jr.B. team of the OHA's Western Ontario Hockey League before being drafted by the Windsor Spitfires in the 3rd round (56th overall) in the 1998 OHL Priority Selection.
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. Bierk also earned his first career shutout, although it was not his NHL debut. It was the first time that two goalies in the same game both earned their first career shutouts.Hockey’s Book of Firsts, p.19, James Duplacey, JG Press, ISBN 978-1-57215-037-9 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. Buffalo did not tender him a qualifying offer in the off-season and he became an unrestricted free agent. Leighton signed as a free agent with the Anaheim Ducks on July 13, 2006 and the organization assigned him to their AHL affiliate, the Portland Pirates, following training camp. 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. He was picked up by the Montreal Canadiens on February 27, but he finished the season without playing a game for his new team. Montreal traded him in the off-season to the Carolina Hurricanes in exchange for a 7th round pick in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft. Carolina originally assigned him to their AHL affiliate Albany River Rats, but brought him back to the NHL on January 3, 2008, when John Grahame was sent to Albany after being placed on waivers. Leighton appeared in three games for the Hurricanes, with a record of 1–1–0, before returning to Albany on January 21 as Grahame was recalled to the NHL team. On April 24, 2008, Leighton set an AHL record making 98 saves on 101 shots, in a playoff game that went to 5 overtimes, also an AHL record.
Leighton was the Hurricanes' backup goaltender, behind Cam Ward, during the 2008–09 season. He appeared in 19 regular season games but did not play in the playoffs, when the Hurricanes advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals. In November 2009, Ward suffered a leg injury which caused him to miss more than a month of play; during that time, the team signed veteran Manny Legace, who became the backup when Ward returned. Leighton was then expendable. On December 15, 2009, Leighton was claimed off waivers by the Flyers organization in order to back up Brian Boucher while Ray Emery recovered from injury. On December 21, Boucher suffered an injury, and Leighton found himself in a starting role. On December 26, just 11 days after being waived, Leighton returned to Raleigh as the Flyers defeated Carolina 4–3 in a shootout. Leighton earned the start in goal for the Flyers on January 1 at the 2010 Winter Classic. He performed well on the national stage, but the Flyers ultimately fell to the Boston Bruins 2–1 in overtime.
On May 10, 2010, Boucher was once again injured in a playoff game against the Bruins. Leighton stepped in for his first ever NHL playoff action to continue Boucher's shutout, with the Flyers ultimately winning 4–0. Leighton then started and won the next two games, helping the Flyers to become only the third team in NHL history (Maple Leafs-1942, Islanders-1975) to come back from an 0–3 deficit and win a series.
In the 2010 Eastern Conference Finals against the Montreal Canadiens, Leighton allowed only seven goals in five games, posting three shutouts as the seventh-seeded Flyers advanced to the Stanley Cup Finals against his former team, the Chicago Blackhawks. Leighton started all six games of the Final series, though Boucher finished Game One, a 6–5 Blackhawks win, and Game Five, a 7–4 Blackhawks win. Boucher was the losing goalie of record in both games. Leighton struggled in the finals, posting a goals against average of 3.96 and a save percentage of 0.876 as Chicago defeated Philadelphia four games to two.
Leighton re-signed with the Flyers with a two year deal on June 30, 2010, one day before he was set to become an unrestricted free agent. On October 8, 2010, it was reported Leighton will have back surgery. He was expected to miss six to eight weeks. He finally made his debut on December 30, earning the win, but allowing 4 goals at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. However, in his absence, rookie Sergei Bobrovsky and Brian Boucher have played well, creating a rare 3-way goaltending competition in the Flyers crease.
On January 3, 2011, the three-way goalie competition was solved as GM Paul Holmgren reported Leighton was placed on waivers. Leighton cleared waivers the next day and was assigned to the Adirondack Phantoms. Three months later he was placed on re-entry waivers and after clearing, re-joined the Flyers.Leighton played in two playoff games.
After spending the entire 2011–12 season with the Phantoms, Leighton re-signed with the Flyers with a one-year contract on July 1, 2012 and was slotted to serve as Ilya Bryzgalov's backup.[23] After playing in just one game for the Flyers during the 2012–13 season, he was traded at the trade deadline to the Columbus Blue Jackets along with a 2015 third-round draft pick for Steve Mason.[24] Leighton served as Sergei Bobrovsky's backup for the remainder of the season, but he did not see any time on the ice for the Blue Jackets. An unrestricted free agent following the season, Leighton signed a one-year contract with HC Donbass of the Kontinental Hockey League on August 19, 2013.
==Awards==
*2000: OHL All-star Team West Goalie
*2001–02: AHL All-Rookie Team
*2007–08: Aldege "Baz" Bastien Memorial Award
*2007–08: AHL First All-Star Team
==Records==
*Norfolk Admirals franchise record for most career regular season wins: 75
*Norfolk Admirals franchise record for most career regular season shutouts: 18
*First goaltender in Chicago Blackhawks history to record a shutout in his debut
*Most saves in an AHL game: 98
==Career statistics==
===Regular season===
  	  	  	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
Season 	Team 	League 	 	GP 	W 	L 	T 	OTL	MIN 	GA 	SO	GAA 	SV%
1997–98 	Petrolia Jets 	OHA-B 	 	30 	 	 	 	— 	1583 	87 	2 	3.30	
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
2006–07 	Portland Pirates 	AHL 	 	16 	8 	6 	— 	1 	962 	37 	2 	2.31	.910
2006–07 	Nashville Predators 	NHL 	 	1 	0 	0 	— 	0 	20 	2 	0 	6.00	.800
2006–07 	Philadelphia Phantoms	AHL 	 	5 	2 	0 	— 	2 	270 	7 	0 	1.56	.948
2006–07 	Philadelphia Flyers 	NHL 	 	4 	2 	2 	— 	0 	195 	12 	0 	3.69	.882
2007–08 	Albany River Rats 	AHL 	 	58 	28 	25 	— 	4 	3451 	121	7 	2.10	.931
2007–08 	Carolina Hurricanes 	NHL 	 	3 	1 	1 	— 	0 	158 	7 	0 	2.66	.897
2008–09 	Carolina Hurricanes 	NHL 	 	19 	6 	7 	— 	2 	1029 	50 	0 	2.92	.901
2009–10 	Carolina Hurricanes 	NHL 	 	7 	1 	4 	— 	0 	350 	25 	0 	4.28	.850
2009–10 	Philadelphia Flyers 	NHL 	 	27 	16 	5 	— 	2 	1449 	60 	1 	2.48	.920
2010–11 	Adirondack Phantoms 	AHL 	 	30 	14 	12 	— 	3 	1783 	66 	5 	2.22	.926
2010–11 	Philadelphia Flyers 	NHL 	 	1 	1 	0 	— 	0 	60 	4 	0 	4.00	.889
2011–12 	Adirondack Phantoms 	AHL 	 	56 	28 	26 	— 	1 	3237 	139	2 	2.58	.918
2012–13 	Philadelphia Flyers 	NHL 	 	1 	0 	1 	— 	0 	59 	5 	0 	5.08	.808
2012–13 	Adirondack Phantoms 	AHL 	 	2 	1 	1 	— 	0 	119 	4 	0 	2.02	.933
NHL totals	NHL totals 	NHL totals	 	105	35 	41 	10	4 	5754 	285	4 	2.97	.901
AHL totals	AHL totals 	AHL totals	 	354	171	144	14	15 	20836	811	36	2.33	.918
OHL totals	OHL totals 	OHL totals	 	124	53 	47 	9 	— 	6696 	368	3 	3.30	.893
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
===Playoffs===
  	  	  	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
Season 	Team 	League 	 	GP	W	L 	MIN 	GA	SO	GAA 	SV%
1998–99 	Windsor Spitfires 	OHL 	 	3 	0	1 	80 	10	0 	7.50	
1999–00 	Windsor Spitfires 	OHL 	 	12	5	6 	616 	32	0 	3.12	.915
2000–01 	Windsor Spitfires 	OHL 	 	9 	4	5 	519 	27	1 	3.12	.906
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
2007–08 	Albany River Rats 	AHL 	 	7 	3	4 	510 	10	2 	1.18	.981
2009–10 	Philadelphia Flyers	NHL 	 	14	8	3 	757 	31	3 	2.46	.916
2010–11 	Philadelphia Flyers	NHL 	 	2 	0	1 	70 	4 	0 	3.43	.862
NHL totals	NHL totals 	NHL totals	 	16	8	4 	827 	35	3 	2.54	.913
AHL totals	AHL totals 	AHL totals	 	19	9	8 	1300	27	5 	1.25	.954
OHL totals	OHL totals 	OHL totals	 	24	9	12	1215	69	1 	3.41	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
==References==
==External links==
*
*
*
*
*
*Michael Leighton's profile at Hockey Goalies
Category:Born in 1981
Category:Adirondack Phantoms players
Category:Albany River Rats players
Category:Canadian ice hockey players
Category:Carolina Hurricanes players
Category:Chicago Blackhawks draft picks
Category:Chicago Blackhawks players
Category:Nashville Predators players
Category:Norfolk Admirals players
Category:Philadelphia Flyers players
Category:Philadelphia Phantoms players
Category:Portland Pirates players
Category:Rochester Americans players
Category:Windsor Spitfires alumni
Category:HC Donbass players