The Chicago Blackhawks addressed their goaltending depth in an interesting way on Monday, agreeing to terms with former goalie Michael Leighton on a one-year deal.
Leighton, 33, was originally a ‘Hawks draftee and appeared in 42 games for Chicago before moving on to Nashville, Carolina and Philadelphia. It was with the Flyers, of course, when Leighton got on a bit of a roll and backstopped the team to the 2010 Stanley Cup Final, going 8-3 with a .916 save percentage and 3.11 GAA before eventually losing to...
The Chicago Blackhawks.
Leighton was, famously, in net one of the most unforgettable goals in ‘Hawks franchise and Stanley Cup history, Patrick Kane’s OT winner in Game 6:
Leighton wasn’t much of a factor in Philadelphia following that goal, as injuries and ineffective play (along with the Ilya Bryzgalov contract) saw him bounce between the big club and AHL for the following few seasons. In 2013, Leighton left North America entirely and played with HC Donbass of the KHL, going 20-15-6 with a 1.74 GAA and .933 save percentage.
He subsequently signed with the KHL’s expansion club in Sochi, but was released from his contract this summer.