Certainly, Michael Leighton will be bringing a wealth of experience to his new role as goaltending coach for the Detroit Red Wings. There’s little that he didn’t encounter during an 18-year career as a pro netminder.
Leighton, 44, played with four NHL teams – Chicago (twice), Philadelphia (twice), Carolina (twice), and Nashville. In the AHL, he touched down in a dozen different cities over 15 seasons. He even spent a season playing in the Russian KHL. Playing for Donbass, the club was left to take its show on the road after their home arena was bombed during the Crimean War.
UPDATE: The #RedWings have hired Michael Leighton as Goaltending Coach.
Details: https://t.co/Falho2yPf5 pic.twitter.com/Rap5sQ1Kk4
— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) July 7, 2025
That’s a lot of ups and downs for one goalie. Leighton was a netminder who kept track of both GAA and GPS.
“It was a big learning curve,” Leighton told AHL.com. “Sometimes it just takes time to build your game and build confidence and figure out your identity as a goalie. And I just did that over the years and throughout my career.”
Over the past three seasons, he has been serving as goalie coach for his former junior club, the OHL Windsor Spitfires, preparing for his first NHL role. He’s replacing Alex Westlund, who was let go after three seasons with the Red Wings.
Leighton Offers Wealth Of Experience To Red Wings
Leighton became the first goaltender in Blackhawks history to earn a shutout in his NHL debut. He would stop all 31 shots he faced in a goalless tie against the Phoenix Coyotes on Jan. 8, 2003.
His greatest NHL moment came in 2010 when Leighton backstopped the Flyers to the Stanley Cup final against Chicago. Leighton tied an NHL record for most shutouts in a single Stanley Cup playoff series. He would post three shutouts during Philly’s win over Montreal in the Eastern Conference final. It was current Red Wings forward Patrick Kane who would score the Cup-winning goal on Leighton.
In 2010, Patrick Kane scored the game-winning goal against Michael Leighton in Game 6 to bring home the Stanley Cup 🏆
Today, Michael Leighton joined the Red Wings, Patrick Kane’s team, as their new goaltending coach 🥅 pic.twitter.com/O8qDoAhPti
— SleeperNHL (@SleeperNHL) July 7, 2025
Leighton would fashion a legendary career in the AHL. He’d play in five AHL All-Star Classics. His 50 shutouts are the all-time AHL record. In 2007-08 Leighton won the Aldege “Baz” Bastien Memorial Award as the league’s most outstanding goaltender.
Leighton holds the AHL record for most saves in a single game. Playing for Albany, he would stop 98 of 101 shots in a five-overtime contest against the Philadelphia Phantoms on April 24, 2008.
He was inducted into the AHL Hall of Fame earlier this year.