Mathieu Garon

Mathieu Garon (born January 9, 1978) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender. Garon has played for the Columbus Blue Jackets, Los Angeles Kings, Edmonton Oilers, Montreal Canadiens, Pittsburgh Penguins and Tampa Bay Lightning. Garon was a member of the 2009 Pittsburgh Stanley Cup championship squad. Garon was drafted 44th overall by the Montreal Canadiens in the 1996 NHL Entry Draft.
==Playing career==
Garon spent his junior career with the Victoriaville Tigres of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL). In three seasons with the Tigres, Garon posted a 74-63-5 record. At the conclusion of the 1997-98 season, the last of his junior career, he won the Jacques Plante Memorial Trophy as the best goaltender in the QMJHL and was named to the QMJHL First All-Star Team. He was also named CHL Goaltender of the Year as the top goalie in Canadian major-junior hockey and to the CHL First All-Star team. Garon also played for Team Canada at the 1998 World Junior Championships in Finland.
After being drafted by the Canadiens in the second round in 1996, Garon spent the first five seasons of his professional career playing primarily with the Canadiens' American Hockey League (AHL) affiliates, which included the Fredericton Canadiens, the Quebec Citadelles, and the Hamilton Bulldogs. He was called up for brief stints with the Canadiens before he won the full-time back-up job with the team for the 2003–04 season. Garon played 19 games behind José Théodore that season, posting an 8-6-2 record, a 2.27 goals against average (GAA) and .921 save percentage. 
In the summer of 2004 Garon was traded with a third-round draft pick to the Los Angeles Kings for Radek Bonk and Cristobal Huet. During the 2004–05 NHL lockout he played with the Kings' AHL affiliate, the Manchester Monarchs, posting an impressive 32-14-4 record, 2.12 GAA, .927 save percentage and 8 shutouts. This helped earn him the starting job with the Kings when NHL play resumed for the 2005–06 season. However, Garon struggled in the number one role and was relegated to the back-up position for the 2006–07 season. 
Following the 2006–07 season, Garon became an unrestricted free agent and on July 3, 2007, signed a two-year, $2.2 million contract with the Edmonton Oilers. Garon split time with incumbent starter Dwayne Roloson and his strong play earned him 47 appearances through which he posted a 2.66 GAA, .913 save percentage, and 4 shutouts. Despite his efforts, the Oilers failed to qualify for the playoffs. However, Garon earned praise for going a perfect 10-0 in shootouts that season, stopping a remarkable 30 of 32 shot attempts in the process. 
Garon was named to Canada's roster for the 2008 IIHF World Championship in Quebec City and Halifax, although he did not receive any playing time behind Cam Ward and Pascal Leclaire as Canada won the silver medal.
Roloson re-emerged as Edmonton's undisputed starter in 2008–09 and on January 17, 2009 Garon was traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for Ryan Stone, Dany Sabourin, and the Penguins' fourth-round pick in the 2011 NHL draft. Garon saw limited action behind starter Marc-André Fleury, who backstopped the Penguins to their third Stanley Cup championship, defeating the Detroit Red Wings in a seven-game rematch of the previous year's final. Garon's only appearance in the playoffs came in game five of the finals in relief of Fleury.
On July 1, 2009, Garon again became an unrestricted free agent and signed a two-year deal with the Columbus Blue Jackets, worth $1.2 million per season. In his first season with the Blue Jackets, Garon appeared in 35 games and posted a 12-9-6 record backing-up Steve Mason, the winner of the 2009 Calder Memorial Trophy.
Garon signed a two-year/$2.6 million contract with the Tampa Bay Lightning on July 1, 2011.
==Career statistics==
=== Regular season ===
  	  	  	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
Season 	Team 	League 	 	GP 	W 	L 	T/OT	MIN 	GA 	SO	GAA 	SV%
1995–96 	Victoriaville Tigres 	QMJHL 	 	51 	18 	27 	0 	2709 	189	1 	4.19	—
1996-97 	Victoriaville Tigres 	QMJHL 	 	53 	29 	18 	3 	3032 	150	6 	2.97	.909
1997–98 	Victoriaville Tigres 	QMJHL 	 	47 	27 	18 	2 	2802 	125	5 	2.68	.909
1998–99 	Fredericton Canadiens	AHL 	 	40 	14 	22 	2 	2222 	114	3 	3.08	.904
1999–2000 	Quebec Citadelles 	AHL 	 	53 	17 	28 	3 	2884 	149	2 	3.10	.898
2000–01 	Quebec Citadelles 	AHL 	 	31 	16 	13 	1 	1768 	86 	1 	2.92	.920
2000–01 	Montreal Canadiens 	NHL 	 	11 	4 	5 	1 	589 	24 	2 	2.44	.897
2001–02 	Quebec Citadelles 	AHL 	 	50 	21 	15 	12 	2988 	136	2 	2.73	.918
2001–02 	Montreal Canadiens 	NHL 	 	5 	1 	4 	0 	261 	19 	0 	4.37	.871
2002–03 	Hamilton Bulldogs 	AHL 	 	20 	15 	2 	2 	1150 	34 	4 	1.77	.937
2002–03 	Montreal Canadiens 	NHL 	 	8 	3 	5 	0 	482 	16 	2 	1.99	.940
2003–04 	Montreal Canadiens 	NHL 	 	19 	8 	6 	2 	1003 	38 	0 	2.27	.921
2004–05 	Manchester Monarchs 	AHL 	 	52 	32 	14 	4 	2969 	105	8 	2.12	.927
2005–06 	Los Angeles Kings 	NHL 	 	63 	31 	26 	3 	3446 	185	4 	3.22	.894
2006–07 	Los Angeles Kings 	NHL 	 	32 	13 	10 	6 	1779 	79 	2 	2.66	.907
2007–08 	Edmonton Oilers 	NHL 	 	47 	26 	18 	1 	2658 	118	4 	2.66	.913
2008–09 	Edmonton Oilers 	NHL 	 	15 	6 	8 	0 	815 	43 	0 	3.17	.895
2008–09 	Pittsburgh Penguins 	NHL 	 	4 	2 	1 	0 	206 	10 	0 	2.91	.894
2009–10 	Columbus Blue Jackets	NHL 	 	35 	12 	9 	6 	1771 	83 	2 	2.81	.903
2010–11 	Columbus Blue Jackets	NHL 	 	36 	10 	14 	6 	1938 	88 	3 	2.72	.901
NHL totals 	NHL totals 	NHL totals 	 	275	116	106	25 	14947	703	19	2.82	.904
AHL totals 	AHL totals 	AHL totals 	 	246	115	94 	24 	13981	624	20	2.68	.915
QMJHL totals	QMJHL totals 	QMJHL totals	 	151	74 	63 	5 	8543 	464	12	3.26	—
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
=== Playoffs ===
  	  	  	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
Season 	Team 	League 	 	GP	W 	L 	MIN 	GA	SO	GAA 	SV%
1995-96 	Victoriaville Tigres 	QMJHL 	 	12	7 	4 	676 	38	1 	3.37	—
1996-97 	Victoriaville Tigres 	QMJHL 	 	6 	2 	4 	330 	23	0 	4.18	—
1997-98 	Victoriaville Tigres 	QMJHL 	 	6 	2 	4 	345 	22	0 	3.83	—
1998–99 	Fredericton Canadiens	AHL 	 	6 	1 	1 	208 	12	0 	3.46	.911
1999–2000 	Quebec Citadelles 	AHL 	 	1 	0 	0 	20 	3 	0 	9.00	.833
2000–01 	Quebec Citadelles 	AHL 	 	8 	4 	4 	459 	22	1 	2.88	.933
1999–2000 	Quebec Citadelles 	AHL 	 	3 	0 	3 	198 	12	0 	3.64	.874
2003–04 	Montreal Canadiens 	NHL 	 	1 	0 	0 	12 	0 	0 	0.00	1.000
2004–05 	Manchester Monarchs 	AHL 	 	6 	2 	4 	285 	17	0 	3.58	.893
2008–09 	Pittsburgh Penguins 	NHL 	 	1 	0 	0 	24 	0 	0 	0.00	1.000
NHL totals 	NHL totals 	NHL totals 	 	2 	0 	0 	36 	0 	0 	0.00	1.000
AHL totals 	AHL totals 	AHL totals 	 	24	7 	12	1170	66	1 	3.38	.910
QMJHL totals	QMJHL totals 	QMJHL totals	 	24	11	12	1351	83	1 	3.69	—
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
==References==
==External links==
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Category:Born in 1978
Category:Canadian ice hockey players
Category:Edmonton Oilers players
Category:Hamilton Bulldogs players
Category:Los Angeles Kings players
Category:Montreal Canadiens draft picks
Category:Montreal Canadiens players
Category:Quebec Citadelles players
Category:Stanley Cup champions
Category:Victoriaville Tigres alumni
Category:IIHF Player
Category:Retired in 2014