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AHL Lehigh Valley Phantoms

Michael Leighton Selected for AHL Hall of Fame

October 23, 2024 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Lehigh Valley Phantoms News Release


Goaltender Michael Leighton with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms
Goaltender Michael Leighton with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms
(Lehigh Valley Phantoms)

The American Hockey League announced four people selected for induction into the American Hockey League Hall of Fame as the Class of 2025.

Former Phantoms goaltending great Michael Leighton is joined by Rene Drolet, Dunc Fisher and Michel Picard to be honored by the AHL Hall of Fame Selection Committee amongst the latest group of enshrinees.

Michael Leighton played parts of four seasons with the Philadelphia Phantoms and Adirondack Phantoms in his 15 season career in the American Hockey League.

The AHL's all-time leader with 50 career shutouts recorded seven of his perfect performances with the Adirondack Phantoms in the 2010-11 and 2011-12 seasons.

All-time with the Phantoms, Leighton played in 93 games going 45-39-6, 2.40, .923. His .926 save percentage in the 2010-11 season with the Adirondack Phantoms is tied for the best single-season mark in franchise history (with Neil Little 2001-02 and Scott Munroe 2008-09). His 56 games played in the 2011-12 season is third-most in franchise history and his 1,565 saves that same year is the second-most ever by a Phantoms goaltender.

Leighton was the winning goaltender in the Outdoor Classic before the largest crowd in AHL history when 45,653 fans jammed Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia to witness the Adirondack Phantoms rally from behind and defeat the Hershey Bears on January 6, 2012.

Leighton represented the Phantoms at the 2012 AHL All-Star Classic in Atlantic City. He made his last AHL All-Star Classic appearance at the 2017 event hosted by the Lehigh Valley Phantoms at PPL Center while playing for the Charlotte Checkers.

Leighton's accomplishments with the Phantoms were part of a professional career that took him to 11 NHL organizations and 13 AHL cities.

A sixth-round draft pick by the Chicago Blackhawks in 1999, Leighton's pro journey began in Norfolk, Va., where he earned AHL All-Rookie Team honors after going 27-16-8 with a 2.14 goals-against average and a .920 save percentage for the Admirals in 2001-02.

Leighton would go on to make five appearances in the AHL All-Star Classic and win the Aldege "Baz" Bastien Award as the league's outstanding goaltender with the Albany River Rats in 2007-08. Leighton played in a total of 507 regular-season games in the AHL, seventh-most in league history among goaltenders, and posted a career record of 250-186-55 (ranking fifth all-time in victories), a 2.38 GAA, a .916 save percentage and an AHL-record 50 shutouts. In postseason play, Leighton posted a 1.67 GAA and a .946 save percentage in 28 Calder Cup Playoff appearances, and he owns the AHL record for saves in a single game with 98 with the Albany River Rats against the Philadelphia Phantoms in the league's first five-overtime contest on Apr. 24, 2008 which is now the second-longest game in AHL history.

Other Phantoms greats in the AHL Hall of Fame include:

John Paddock (2010)

John Stevens (2012)

Peter White (2013)

John Slaney (2014)

Rob Murray (2017)

Denis Hamel (2020)

Nolan Baumgartner (2022)

The induction of the Class of 2025 will take place as part of the festivities at the 2025 AHL All-Star Classic presented by Spotlight 29 Casino, to be hosted by the Coachella Valley Firebirds. The American Hockey League Hall of Fame Induction and Awards Ceremony presented by Spotlight 29 Casino and Silvercrest is scheduled for February 3, 2025.

UPCOMING

Friday, October 25 - Phantoms at Hartford Wolf Pack

Saturday, October 26 - Grand Rapids Griffins at Phantoms

Sunday, October 27 (3:05) - Grand Rapids Griffins at Phantoms (Haunted on Hamilton, Spooky Fun!)

Stay current with the latest Phantoms news with the Phantoms 365 app available for Apple and Android devices and at www.phantomshockey.com

Follow the team on Facebook (www.facebook.com/lehighvalleyphantoms), X (@lvphantoms), and Instagram (@lehighvalleyphantoms).

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Images from this story

Goaltender Michael Leighton with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms
Goaltender Michael Leighton with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms
 Goaltender Michael Leighton with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms
Goaltender Michael Leighton with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms
  

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