Curtis McElhinney

Robert Curtis McElhinney (born May 23, 1983) is a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender currently playing with the Tampa Bay Lightning of the National Hockey League (NHL). He has previously also played in the NHL with the Carolina Hurricanes, Toronto Maple Leafs, Columbus Blue Jackets, Ottawa Senators, Phoenix Coyotes, Anaheim Ducks, and Calgary Flames. McElhinney was drafted in the sixth-round of the 2002 NHL Entry Draft by the Flames. McElhinney won the Stanley Cup as a member of the Lightning in 2020.

Curtis McElhinney
McElhinney with the Springfield Falcons in 2013
Born (1983-05-23) May 23, 1983
London, Ontario, Canada
Height 6 ft 3 in (191 cm)
Weight 200 lb (91 kg; 14 st 4 lb)
Position Goaltender
Catches Left
NHL team
Former teams		 Tampa Bay Lightning
Calgary Flames
Anaheim Ducks
Ottawa Senators
Phoenix Coyotes
Columbus Blue Jackets
Toronto Maple Leafs
Carolina Hurricanes
National team  Canada
NHL Draft 176th overall, 2002
Calgary Flames
Playing career 2005–present

Playing career

Early years

McElhinney played four years of university hockey for Colorado College, compiling a 62–15–8 record in that time en route to winning two Western Collegiate Hockey Association First All-Star Team selections in 2003 and 2005, as well as NCAA Second and First All-American Team selections in 2003 and 2005, respectively.[1] He was selected 176th overall by the Calgary Flames in the 2002 NHL Entry Draft.

He made his professional debut in 2005–06 with the Omaha Ak-Sar-Ben Knights of the American Hockey League (AHL). He tied for the AHL lead in shutouts in 2006–07 while setting an Omaha team record with 44 wins. He played in the 2007 AHL All-Star game,[2] and was named to the AHL Second All-Star Team.[1]

McElhinney split 2007–08 between the Quad City Flames and Calgary. He made his NHL debut on October 22, 2007 against the San Jose Sharks in relief of Miikka Kiprusoff,[2] appearing in five NHL games, finishing with a 0–2–0 record and a 2.00 goals against average.[1] He played the entire 2008–09 NHL season with Calgary as Kiprusoff's backup and recorded his first NHL win in his 14th game of the year, the last of the regular season, in a 4–1 victory over the Edmonton Oilers on April 11, 2009.[3]

McElhinney with the Calgary Flames during the 2009–10 season. He was drafted by the Flames in 2002.

The Flames signed McElhinney to a two-year contract prior to the 2009–10 season.[4] He was traded to the Anaheim Ducks on March 3, 2010 in exchange for goalie Vesa Toskala.

On February 24, 2011 McElhinney was traded to the Tampa Bay Lightning for Dan Ellis. On February 28, he was claimed off waivers by the Ottawa Senators.

McElhinney signed a one-year, two-way contract with the Phoenix Coyotes on July 4, 2011.[5]

On February 22, 2012 McElhinney was traded to the Columbus Blue Jackets (along with second round pick in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft (via Ottawa) and a conditional fifth round selection in the 2013 Draft) for Antoine Vermette.[6] He spent the season with Columbus' AHL affiliate Springfield Falcons and had a fine season, posting nine shutouts to lead the league and set a franchise record for both single season and career shutouts, and was again named to the AHL Second All-Star Team.

He was placed on waivers by the Columbus Blue Jackets January 8, 2017, after allowing 4 straight goals in a 5–4 loss to the New York Rangers on January 7, 2017. He posted a 2–1–2 record and a .924 save percentage in 7 games with the team in the 2016–2017 season.[7] One day after being waived, McElhinney was claimed by the Toronto Maple Leafs, who were in need of a backup goaltender following a disappointing season by Jhonas Enroth.[8]

Down the stretch, McElhinney went 6–7 with 1 shutout, a 2.85 GAA and a .914 save percentage. As starter Frederik Andersen went down with an injury, McElhinney received quite a few extra starts. Most importantly in the second last game of the season for the Leafs with a playoff spot on the line. In this game, McElhinney made arguably the biggest save of his career in the dying seconds on Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby who seemingly had a wide-open net for a one-timer goal. McElhinney slid across the crease to make a pad save and preserved the lead that eventually held up to earn the Leafs a playoff berth.[9]

Later career

Prior to the 2018–19 season, on October 1, 2018, the Maple Leafs placed McElhinney on waivers after Garret Sparks won the backup goaltending job in the pre-season. His two-year tenure with the Maple Leafs ended as he was claimed by the Carolina Hurricanes the following day, in order to add depth after an injury to Scott Darling.[10] McElhinney would go on to split most of the 2018–19 season in goal with Petr Mrázek.

On May 1, 2019, McElhinney started for the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup playoffs versus the New York Islanders in Round 2 making him the oldest goaltender to make his first career playoff start at 35 years and 343 days of age. On May 3, 2019, in Game 4, he helped to secure the franchise's first ever 4–0 sweep in the best-of-seven series.

On July 1, 2019, McElhinney signed a two year contract with the Tampa Bay Lightning.[11] He was part of the 2020 Stanley Cup winning team, spending most of the season as the backup to Andrei Vasilevskiy.[12]

International play

Following the Leafs first round defeat by the Boston Bruins in the 2018 Stanley Cup playoffs, McElhinney was named to Team Canada to compete at the 2018 IIHF World Championship.[13]

Personal life

McElhinney and his wife Ashleigh have one son and one daughter.[14][15] McElhinney has a younger sister, Alana, who played goaltender for the Division I Bemidji State University's women's hockey team.[16]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs
Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GPWLTOTLMINGASOGAASV% GPWLMINGASOGAASV%
2001–02 Colorado College WCHA 9601—4411512.04.918 ————————
2002–03 Colorado College WCHA 372565—21478542.37.906 ————————
2003–04 Colorado College WCHA 191061—10154122.42.906 ————————
2004–05 Colorado College WCHA 252131—14905222.09.927 ————————
2005–06 Omaha Ak-Sar-Ben Knights AHL 33914—216196832.52.912 ————————
2006–07 Omaha Ak-Sar-Ben Knights AHL 573517—1318111372.13.917 5233111102.12.914
2007–08 Calgary Flames NHL 502—0149502.00.902 ————————
2007–08 Quad City Flames AHL 412018—223208832.28.911 ————————
2008–09 Calgary Flames NHL 1417—05183103.59.889 10034101.76.900
2009–10 Calgary Flames NHL 1034—05022703.22.885 ————————
2009–10 Anaheim Ducks NHL 1051—25212402.76.917 ————————
2010–11 Anaheim Ducks NHL 2169—19965723.43.890 ————————
2010–11 Ottawa Senators NHL 734—03991702.56.917 ————————
2011–12 Phoenix Coyotes NHL 210—072201.67.944 ————————
2011–12 Portland Pirates AHL 251013—013797003.04.907 ————————
2012–13 Springfield Falcons AHL 492916—3134911392.32.923 8354832503.10.895
2013–14 Columbus Blue Jackets NHL 281011—114236422.70.909 ————————
2014–15 Columbus Blue Jackets NHL 321214—217108202.88.914 ————————
2015–16 Columbus Blue Jackets NHL 1827—38364603.31.890 ————————
2016–17 Columbus Blue Jackets NHL 721—23761502.39.924 ————————
2016–17 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 1467—07593612.85.914 ————————
2017–18 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 18115—19803532.14.934 10148405.07.826
2018–19 Carolina Hurricanes NHL 332011—219788522.58.912 532268902.01.930
2019–20 Tampa Bay Lightning NHL 1887—310815212.89.906 ————————
NHL totals 2379089—1812,300578112.82.909 7333501402.30.921

International
Year Team Event GPWLTMINGASOGAASV%
2018 Canada WC 5320245612.02.936
Senior totals 5320245612.02.936

Awards and honours
Award Year
College
WCHA First All-Star Team 2002–03
2004–05		 [1]
AHCA West Second-Team All-American 2002–03 [1]
AHCA West First-Team All-American 2004–05 [1]
WCHA All-Tournament Team 2005 [17]
AHL
Second All-Star Team 2006–07 [1]
NHL
Stanley Cup (Tampa Bay Lightning) 2020 [18]

References
  1. "Curtis McElhinney player profile". Hockey Hall of Fame. Retrieved January 25, 2010.
  2. Hanlon, Peter; Kelso, Sean (2009). 2009–10 Calgary Flames Media Guide (PDF). Calgary Flames Hockey Club. p. 74.
  3. Sportak, Randy (April 12, 2009). "McElhinney on fire in Flames victory". Calgary Sun. Retrieved January 25, 2010.
  4. Sportak, Randy (July 25, 2009). "Goin' north nice to Irving". Calgary Sun. Retrieved January 25, 2010.
  5. "Coyotes sign McElhinney to one-year deal". The Sports Network. Retrieved July 4, 2011.
  6. "Blue Jackets trade veteran Vermette to Coyotes". The Sports Network. February 22, 2012. Retrieved February 22, 2012.
  7. http://www.espn.com/nhl/player/_/id/3187/curtis-mcelhinney
  8. "Maple Leafs hope Curtis McElhinney will address backup goalie woes". Toronto Star. January 10, 2017. Retrieved January 12, 2017.
  9. "GOTTA SEE IT: MCELHINNEY ROBS CROSBY FOR "SAVE OF THE SEASON"". sportsnet.ca. April 8, 2017. Retrieved March 18, 2018.
  10. "Canes claim Curtis McElhinney". Carolina Hurricanes. October 2, 2018. Retrieved October 2, 2018.
  11. "Lightning sign goaltender Curtis McElhinney to two-year contract". NHL.com. July 1, 2019. Retrieved July 1, 2019.
  12. "Lightning win Stanley Cup by smothering Stars in Game 6". NBC Sports. September 28, 2020. Retrieved September 29, 2020.
  13. "CANADA ADDS PLAYERS TO 2018 IIHF WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP CAMP ROSTER". Hockey Canada. April 27, 2017. Retrieved May 7, 2018.
  14. Sportak, Randy (June 6, 2009). "Expecting an in-crease". Calgary Sun. Retrieved October 26, 2011.
  15. Stephens, Eric (January 23, 2011). "McElhinneys welcome a new addition". The Orange County Register. Retrieved April 7, 2018.
  16. Macleod, Robert (October 20, 2017). "Curtis McElhinney finds his groove as backup for the Maple Leafs". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved April 7, 2018.
  17. "WCHA Tourney History". WCHA. Archived from the original on July 2, 2014. Retrieved June 26, 2014.
  18. "Tampa Bay Lightning win Stanley Cup in Pandemic Bubble". The New York Times. September 28, 2020. Retrieved September 28, 2020.
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