The Chicago Blackhawks and goaltender Michael Leighton have agreed to a one-year contract for the 2015-16 season, the team announced Tuesday. Leighton spent last season as the primary goalie for the Rockford IceHogs in the AHL and likely will continue filling that role going forward.
It’s a two-way contract worth $575,000, the league minimum, according to ESPN’s Pierre LeBrun.
Chicago already has Corey Crawford and Scott Darling in the NHL, but needed to add another goaltender after trading Antti Raanta to the New York Rangers last weekend. Leighton was already with the organization for the past year and should be a dependable option who can step up as a stopgap if needed.
Last season, Leighton recorded a 22-13-4 record, .920 save percentage and 2.26 GAA with Rockford. He also posted a .919 save percentage and 2.59 GAA in eight playoff games and earned the team’s MVP efforts for his consistent performance.
The move also signals that the Blackhawks won’t be able to convince Anders Nilsson to return to the NHL. The goaltender, whose rights were acquired last year as part of the Nick Leddy trade, has shown interest in returning to North American hockey, but likely only for a significant NHL role. He left the Islanders for the KHL last year because he was tired of being a backup and/or playing in the AHL, and it’s not like the Hawks can offer more than that with Crawford and Darling around. That makes Leighton an acceptable consolation prize as the No. 3 goalie on the depth chart.
Leighton is also remembered as the man who was in goal for the Philadelphia Flyers when Patrick Kane scored the game-winning goal in the 2010 Stanley Cup Final. We’ll always like him for that.