I love that he's still available...
As Team Modern Era's backup goalie... we're taking...
Michael "Mike" Vernon (born February 24, 1963, in
Calgary,
Alberta,
Canada) is a retired professional
ice hockey player. Throughout his 21-year
National Hockey League career, he played as a goaltender for the
Calgary Flames,
Detroit Red Wings,
San Jose Sharks and the
Florida Panthers. He won the
Stanley Cup as a member of the Flames in 1989 and then again in 1997 with the Red Wings, where he also won the
Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP. He retired in 2002. He currently works as a Special Assistant to the Vice President of Hockey Operations for the
Tampa Bay Lightning.
Mike Vernon was drafted 56th overall at the
1981 Entry Draft by the
Calgary Flames after percolating through the Calgary junior hockey system, where he starred for the
WHL's
Calgary Wranglers and for the Flames' minor league affiliates. He was added to the roster of the
Portland Winter Hawks in the
1983 Memorial Cup Championship Series against league champions
Lethbridge (WHL),
Oshawa (
OHL) and
Verdun (
QMJHL). His performance during the series helped the Hawks become the first team from outside Canada to win the Cup, defeating Oshawa 8–3 in the final. He was awarded the
Hap Emms Memorial Trophy as the outstanding goaltender for the series.
After turning professional, he spent most of the next three seasons with the Flames's top minor league affiliates in
Colorado and
Moncton before getting called up for good in January
1986. Although he was initially called up to back-up incumbent
Réjean Lemelin, Vernon's play down the stretch earned him the starting job for the playoffs. That spring, he backstopped the Flames to an upset victory over the hated
Edmonton Oilers in the second round. The Flames eventually lost in the Final to the
Montreal Canadiens and fellow rookie netminder
Patrick Roy.
The
Minnesota Wild franchise claimed him in the
2000 NHL Expansion Draft, then turned around and traded him to Calgary and his second stint with the Flames. He played a further 59 games for the Flames, recording three shutouts, before announcing his retirement on September 13, 2002. Vernon has been eligible for the
Hockey Hall of Fame since 2005, but has yet to gain induction.
He is currently the winningest eligible goalie that isn't in the Hall.
More
HERE.
Awards
Records
Mike Vernon holds the following
Calgary Flames franchise records:
- Most games played by a goaltender (526)
- Most wins (262)
- Most minutes played by a goaltender (29,649)
- Most playoff games played by a goaltender (81)
- Most playoff minutes played by a goaltender (4,773)
- Most playoff wins (43)
GP - 781
Wins - 385
Loss - 273
Ties - 92
SO - 27
GAA - 2.98
Playoffs
GP - 138
Wins - 77
Loss - 56
SO - 6
GAA - 2.68