Curtis Joseph
Encyclopedia
Curtis Shayne Joseph is a retired Canadian
professional ice hockey
goaltender
. He last played for the Toronto Maple Leafs
of the National Hockey League
.
Joseph is immediately recognizable on the ice for his masks featuring a snarling dog, drawing inspiration from the Stephen King
novel Cujo
, which also happens to be his nickname, derived from the first two letters of his first and last names. Throughout his NHL career, Joseph has played for a number of franchises, rising to prominence during playoff series with the Edmonton Oilers
, and later with the Toronto Maple Leafs
. He was also a member of Canada's gold medal winning team at the 2002 Winter Olympics
. He has also played for the St. Louis Blues
, Detroit Red Wings
, Phoenix Coyotes
and Calgary Flames
.
Joseph has the most career wins (454) of any goaltender in NHL history who never played on a Stanley Cup
-winning team.
that Joseph legally changed his name from Curtis Shayne Munro to Curtis Shayne Joseph.
Joseph initially attended Whitchurch Highlands Public School
until the family relocated to the Keswick area. He grew up playing hockey for the East Gwillimbury Eagles of the OMHA until moving west to play for his high school team, Notre Dame College
(Wilcox
, Saskatchewan
) to the Centennial Cup and then played for the University of Wisconsin–Madison
of the NCAA
, he went undrafted. He signed as a free agent with the Blues in 1989. In 1989–90 season he played 23 games with the Peoria Rivermen
in the IHL.
" and has worn the number 31 for the St. Louis Blues
, Edmonton Oilers
, Toronto Maple Leafs
, Detroit Red Wings
, Phoenix Coyotes
and the Calgary Flames
. Joseph is a three time NHL All-Star (1994, 1999, 2000), and he was awarded the 1999–2000 King Clancy Memorial Trophy
for exemplifying leadership qualities on and off the ice and making noteworthy humanitarian contributions to his community. Perhaps his greatest achievement came in Salt Lake City 2002, where he was a member of the Olympic Gold Medal winning Canadian men's hockey team.
All Conference Team. Shortly after his freshman season, Joseph, despite not having been drafted, was signed by the St. Louis Blues
to a free-agent entry-level contract.
in 1989, he played for the St. Louis Blues
. In the off-season following the 1990–91 NHL season, the Blues signed Brendan Shanahan
from the New Jersey Devils
. Shanahan was a restricted free agent, and thus the Devils were entitled to compensation. The teams could not agree on what the compensation was; the Blues offered Curtis Joseph, Rod Brind'Amour
, and two draft picks, while the Devils wanted Scott Stevens
. Joseph seemed to be the answer the Devils were looking for in goal, however the case went to arbitration, and a judge ruled that Stevens was to be awarded to the Devils in September 1991. Joseph would remain with the Blues until 1995. The 1992–93 NHL season was his most successful season as he played a key role in the upset of the Chicago Blackhawks
, the reigning Clarence Campbell Conference regular season champions, sweeping them in four games in the first round of the playoffs. The Blues then faced the Toronto Maple Leafs
in a second-round series that went seven games, thanks in large part to Joseph. The Leafs eventually prevailed. Because of his efforts, he was nominated as a finalist for the Vezina Trophy
that season. He finished third in voting behind winner Ed Belfour
and Tom Barrasso
.
In 1995, he was traded (with Mike Grier
) to the Edmonton Oilers for a first-round pick in the 1996 entry draft (eventually Marty Reasoner
) and a first-round pick in the 1997 entry draft. With Edmonton, Joseph won two Zane Feldman Trophies (team MVP) and one Most Popular Player award. He backstopped the Oilers to first round playoff upsets of the Dallas Stars
and Colorado Avalanche
in 1997 and 1998, respectively, their first playoff series wins since 1992.
, a move which made him unpopular in Edmonton. In his first road game against Edmonton as a member of the Leafs, Joseph posted a shutout and was named the first star of the game. Throughout the game, he was greeted with boos, however, he was cheered by the fans in Edmonton upon being announced the first star of the game due to being a fan favourite. It was with the Leafs that Joseph became a superstar and he was consistently one of the most popular players of both his team (since Wendel Clark
and Doug Gilmour
) and in the league. While with the Leafs, he had three consecutive seasons of 30+ wins, he was twice runner-up for the Vezina Trophy
in 1999 and 2000, a finalist for the Lester B. Pearson Award
in 1999, and won the King Clancy Memorial Trophy
in 2000. The NHL Awards presentation was held in Toronto in both 1999 and 2000, both years that Joseph was runner-up for the Vezina. When Dominik Hasek was announced the winner in 1999 and again when Olaf Kolzig was announced the winner in 2000, the audience in Toronto booed loudly, and also broke out into chants of "Cujo, Cujo!". Joseph played a key role in the Leafs' run to the Eastern Conference Finals in 1999 and 2002. In 2000, during Game One of the series against the New Jersey Devils
, he was considered the deciding factor in the 2-1 win where the Leafs were outshot 33-21.http://www.cbc.ca/sports/story/2000/04/27/devils-leafs000427.html
After Leafs General Manager Pat Quinn
was unwilling to give Joseph a four year contract (he offered three years), he left after the 2001–2002 season to sign with the Detroit Red Wings. Some also speculated that the relationship between Quinn and Joseph was frosty because Quinn had benched Joseph in the Salt Lake City Olympics after the first game, although Joseph himself denied the rumours, saying that he played a bad first game against Sweden (losing 5-2) and that Martin Brodeur played very well for the rest of the tournament, earning his spot as the starter. Joseph had also hinted at wanting to play for a team that could win it all, implying the Leafs were not such a team. Joseph's move to Detroit was highly publicized and unpopular in Toronto.
. Joseph initially was not popular with Red Wings fans but eventually found his form in the latter half of the 2002–03 season to backstop his team to the division title. Detroit was upset in the first round of the playoffs in 2003 by the eventual conference champions, the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim. In the 2003–2004 season he was originally Detroit's backup goalie when Dominik Hašek
came out of retirement, and Detroit management tried to trade Joseph, since the team also had a capable backup in Manny Legacé
. However, Joseph's $8 million USD per year contract made him hard to move. After a stint in the minors, he returned to the Red Wings lineup while Hašek was nursing a groin injury. The Red Wings plan was to attract him to other teams until Hašek returned to the lineup. But in February, Hašek decided to call it quits for the season, which once again solidified Joseph's position as the Red Wings starting goaltender. The Wings finished first overall in the league
. The Wings were defeated in the second round of the playoffs in six games by the eventual Stanley Cup finalists from the Western Conference, the Calgary Flames
.
via free agency in 2005 and signed a one year deal. On October 28, 2005, he won his 400th NHL game. On March 28, 2006, he posted his 424th career win, thereby moving into sixth place on the NHL’s all-time list, passing Tony Esposito
. Joseph had shown interest in re-joining the Toronto Maple Leafs
, indicating that he would be fine with a back-up role and a reduced salary. In September 2007 the Ottawa Senators
quietly expressed interest in acquiring Joseph if they could unload Martin Gerber
and his large contract. Joseph was a member of Team Canada in the 2007 Spengler Cup
, leading them to the championship on December 31, 2007.
On January 14, 2008, Joseph signed a one-year, US$1.5 Million contract with the Calgary Flames
. On March 1 of 2008, Joseph moved past Terry Sawchuk
for fourth place in all-time NHL wins with 448 in a 3-1 win over his former team, the Phoenix Coyotes
. On April 13, 2008, Joseph replaced Mikka Kiprusoff less than four minutes into the first period of Game #3 of the Flames' first round series of the 2008 playoffs with the San Jose Sharks. Joseph backstopped the Flames to a come from behind 4-3 win after initially falling behind 3-0. This win made him the first goaltender to win a post-season game as a member of five different teams: St.Louis, Edmonton, Toronto, Detroit and Calgary.
On July 1, 2008, Joseph rejoined the Toronto Maple Leafs by signing a 1 year, $700,000 contract. Joseph served primarily as a back-up for most of the season, only playing 21 games.
On December 30, 2008, Joseph recorded his 450th career win in a 4-3 overtime victory against the Atlanta Thrashers
.
On March 24, 2009 against the Washington Capitals, he pulled off one last hurrah in front of the Leafs faithful. Starting goalie Martin Gerber was tossed out of the game in the final minute of the third period and 41-year-old Joseph came into the game cold. He proceeded to stop every shot, including Capitals star Alexander Ovechkin
in the shootout, as the Leafs went on to win in a memorable 3-2 result.
On April 8, 2009, Joseph recorded his 352 NHL loss, which ties Gump Worsley
for the NHL record for most losses by a goaltender.
Joseph announced his retirement on January 12, 2010 in Toronto.
Currently Joseph is a goaltending coach for the Kingston Frontenacs of the OHL
* Note: As of the 2005–06 season, ties have been replaced by an overtime or shootout loss
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
professional ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
goaltender
Goaltender
In ice hockey, the goaltender is the player who defends his team's goal net by stopping shots of the puck from entering his team's net, thus preventing the opposing team from scoring...
. He last played for the Toronto Maple Leafs
Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
of the National Hockey League
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
.
Joseph is immediately recognizable on the ice for his masks featuring a snarling dog, drawing inspiration from the Stephen King
Stephen King
Stephen Edwin King is an American author of contemporary horror, suspense, science fiction and fantasy fiction. His books have sold more than 350 million copies and have been adapted into a number of feature films, television movies and comic books...
novel Cujo
Cujo
Cujo is a psychological horror novel by Stephen King. The novel won the British Fantasy Award in 1982, and was made into a film in 1983....
, which also happens to be his nickname, derived from the first two letters of his first and last names. Throughout his NHL career, Joseph has played for a number of franchises, rising to prominence during playoff series with the Edmonton Oilers
Edmonton Oilers
The Edmonton Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division in the Western Conference of the National Hockey League ....
, and later with the Toronto Maple Leafs
Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
. He was also a member of Canada's gold medal winning team at the 2002 Winter Olympics
2002 Winter Olympics
The 2002 Winter Olympics, officially the XIX Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event that was celebrated in February 2002 in and around Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. Approximately 2,400 athletes from 77 nations participated in 78 events in fifteen disciplines, held throughout...
. He has also played for the St. Louis Blues
St. Louis Blues
The St. Louis Blues are a professional ice hockey team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The team is named after the famous W. C. Handy song "St. Louis Blues", and plays in the 19,150-seat Scottrade...
, Detroit Red Wings
Detroit Red Wings
The Detroit Red Wings are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League , and are one of the Original Six teams of the NHL, along with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, New York...
, Phoenix Coyotes
Phoenix Coyotes
The Phoenix Coyotes are a professional ice hockey team based in Glendale, Arizona. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . They play their home games at Jobing.com Arena....
and Calgary Flames
Calgary Flames
The Calgary Flames are a professional ice hockey team based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is the third major-professional ice hockey team to represent the city of Calgary, following the...
.
Joseph has the most career wins (454) of any goaltender in NHL history who never played on a Stanley Cup
Stanley Cup
The Stanley Cup is an ice hockey club trophy, awarded annually to the National Hockey League playoffs champion after the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Finals. It has been referred to as The Cup, Lord Stanley's Cup, The Holy Grail, or facetiously as Lord Stanley's Mug...
-winning team.
Early life
Joseph was born to unmarried teenage parents. Five days after his birth, his mother, Wendy Munro, placed him for adoption with Jeanne Joseph, a nurse who had befriended her during her hospital stay, and her husband Harold Joseph. Jeanne and her husband decided to name the baby Curtis after his birth father Curtis Nickle. Curtis grew up with an older stepbrother Grant and a stepbrother Victor; he also has three older stepsisters and a step brother from a previous marriage. The family was of mixed race with Harold and Victor being black. It was not until he signed with the St. Louis BluesSt. Louis Blues
The St. Louis Blues are a professional ice hockey team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The team is named after the famous W. C. Handy song "St. Louis Blues", and plays in the 19,150-seat Scottrade...
that Joseph legally changed his name from Curtis Shayne Munro to Curtis Shayne Joseph.
Joseph initially attended Whitchurch Highlands Public School
Whitchurch Highlands Public School
Whitchurch Highlands is a public Elementary school of the York Region District School Board. It is located on Warden Avenue in the Town of Whitchurch–Stouffville, Ontario, Canada, and is situated on of land, or more fondly called the Woods, a play on words from the children's books...
until the family relocated to the Keswick area. He grew up playing hockey for the East Gwillimbury Eagles of the OMHA until moving west to play for his high school team, Notre Dame College
Athol Murray College of Notre Dame
- History :In 1920, the Sisters of Charity of St. Louis opened the Notre Dame of the Prairies Convent and St. Augustine's residential elementary and high school for boys and girls at Wilcox, Saskatchewan; a small town on the Canadian prairies south of Regina – the provincial capital.Father Athol...
(Wilcox
Wilcox, Saskatchewan
Wilcox is a small village in Saskatchewan, Canada. Located approximately 41 kilometers south of Regina, Wilcox is best known for being the home of the Athol Murray College of Notre Dame, a boarding school for students in grades 9-12. The village is also home to the Notre Dame Hounds ice hockey...
, Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan is a prairie province in Canada, which has an area of . Saskatchewan is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dakota....
) to the Centennial Cup and then played for the University of Wisconsin–Madison
University of Wisconsin–Madison
The University of Wisconsin–Madison is a public research university located in Madison, Wisconsin, United States. Founded in 1848, UW–Madison is the flagship campus of the University of Wisconsin System. It became a land-grant institution in 1866...
of the NCAA
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
, he went undrafted. He signed as a free agent with the Blues in 1989. In 1989–90 season he played 23 games with the Peoria Rivermen
Peoria Rivermen (IHL)
The Peoria Rivermen were an ice hockey team in the International Hockey League. They played in Peoria, Illinois, USA at the Carver Arena....
in the IHL.
Playing career
Joseph is nicknamed "CujoCujo
Cujo is a psychological horror novel by Stephen King. The novel won the British Fantasy Award in 1982, and was made into a film in 1983....
" and has worn the number 31 for the St. Louis Blues
St. Louis Blues
The St. Louis Blues are a professional ice hockey team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The team is named after the famous W. C. Handy song "St. Louis Blues", and plays in the 19,150-seat Scottrade...
, Edmonton Oilers
Edmonton Oilers
The Edmonton Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division in the Western Conference of the National Hockey League ....
, Toronto Maple Leafs
Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
, Detroit Red Wings
Detroit Red Wings
The Detroit Red Wings are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League , and are one of the Original Six teams of the NHL, along with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, New York...
, Phoenix Coyotes
Phoenix Coyotes
The Phoenix Coyotes are a professional ice hockey team based in Glendale, Arizona. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . They play their home games at Jobing.com Arena....
and the Calgary Flames
Calgary Flames
The Calgary Flames are a professional ice hockey team based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is the third major-professional ice hockey team to represent the city of Calgary, following the...
. Joseph is a three time NHL All-Star (1994, 1999, 2000), and he was awarded the 1999–2000 King Clancy Memorial Trophy
King Clancy Memorial Trophy
The King Clancy Memorial Trophy is awarded annually to the National Hockey League player who best exemplifies leadership qualities on and off the ice and who has made a significant humanitarian contribution to his community. Since the award was established in 1988, no player has won it more than...
for exemplifying leadership qualities on and off the ice and making noteworthy humanitarian contributions to his community. Perhaps his greatest achievement came in Salt Lake City 2002, where he was a member of the Olympic Gold Medal winning Canadian men's hockey team.
University of Wisconsin
Curtis Joseph began his college play at the University of Wisconsin. While playing for the Badgers, Joseph won 21 games and was voted to the WCHAWestern Collegiate Hockey Association
The Western Collegiate Hockey Association is a college athletic conference which operates over a wide area of the Midwestern and Western United States. It participates in the NCAA's Division I as an ice hockey-only conference....
All Conference Team. Shortly after his freshman season, Joseph, despite not having been drafted, was signed by the St. Louis Blues
St. Louis Blues
The St. Louis Blues are a professional ice hockey team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The team is named after the famous W. C. Handy song "St. Louis Blues", and plays in the 19,150-seat Scottrade...
to a free-agent entry-level contract.
NHL beginnings
Joseph broke into the NHLNational Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
in 1989, he played for the St. Louis Blues
St. Louis Blues
The St. Louis Blues are a professional ice hockey team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The team is named after the famous W. C. Handy song "St. Louis Blues", and plays in the 19,150-seat Scottrade...
. In the off-season following the 1990–91 NHL season, the Blues signed Brendan Shanahan
Brendan Shanahan
Brendan Frederick "Shanny" Shanahan is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey winger who currently serves as the National Hockey League's Vice President of Hockey and Business Development and head disciplinarian. Originally drafted by the New Jersey Devils second overall in the 1987 NHL Entry...
from the New Jersey Devils
New Jersey Devils
The New Jersey Devils are a professional ice hockey team based in Newark, New Jersey, United States. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
. Shanahan was a restricted free agent, and thus the Devils were entitled to compensation. The teams could not agree on what the compensation was; the Blues offered Curtis Joseph, Rod Brind'Amour
Rod Brind'Amour
Roderic Jean Brind'Amour is a Canadian former professional ice hockey centre who played 20 seasons in the National Hockey League for the St. Louis Blues, Philadelphia Flyers and Carolina Hurricanes. He captained the Hurricanes to the franchise's first Stanley Cup championship in...
, and two draft picks, while the Devils wanted Scott Stevens
Scott Stevens
Ronald Scott Stevens is a retired professional ice hockey defenceman. Stevens played 22 seasons in the National Hockey League for the Washington Capitals, St. Louis Blues, and the New Jersey Devils...
. Joseph seemed to be the answer the Devils were looking for in goal, however the case went to arbitration, and a judge ruled that Stevens was to be awarded to the Devils in September 1991. Joseph would remain with the Blues until 1995. The 1992–93 NHL season was his most successful season as he played a key role in the upset of the Chicago Blackhawks
Chicago Blackhawks
The Chicago Blackhawks are a professional ice hockey team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . They have won four Stanley Cup championships since their founding in 1926, most recently coming in 2009-10...
, the reigning Clarence Campbell Conference regular season champions, sweeping them in four games in the first round of the playoffs. The Blues then faced the Toronto Maple Leafs
Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
in a second-round series that went seven games, thanks in large part to Joseph. The Leafs eventually prevailed. Because of his efforts, he was nominated as a finalist for the Vezina Trophy
Vezina Trophy
The Vezina Trophy is awarded annually to the National Hockey League's goaltender who is "adjudged to be the best at this position". At the end of each season, the 30 General Managers of the teams in the National Hockey League vote to determine the goaltender who was the most valuable to his team...
that season. He finished third in voting behind winner Ed Belfour
Ed Belfour
Edward John Belfour is a former Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender.Belfour was born in Carman, Manitoba and grew up playing hockey. He played junior hockey for the Winkler Flyers before going to the University of North Dakota where he helped the school win the NCAA championship in the...
and Tom Barrasso
Tom Barrasso
Thomas Patrick Barrasso is a retired American professional ice hockey goaltender who played 18 seasons for the Buffalo Sabres, Pittsburgh Penguins, Ottawa Senators, Carolina Hurricanes, Toronto Maple Leafs, and St...
.
In 1995, he was traded (with Mike Grier
Mike Grier
Michael James Grier is a retired professional ice hockey winger who most recently played for the Buffalo Sabres of the National Hockey League . He has also played professionally for the Edmonton Oilers, Washington Capitals, and San Jose Sharks...
) to the Edmonton Oilers for a first-round pick in the 1996 entry draft (eventually Marty Reasoner
Marty Reasoner
Martin Reasoner, is an American professional ice hockey center for the New York Islanders of the National Hockey League . He has also played for the St. Louis Blues, Edmonton Oilers, Boston Bruins, Florida Panthers and Atlanta Thrashers...
) and a first-round pick in the 1997 entry draft. With Edmonton, Joseph won two Zane Feldman Trophies (team MVP) and one Most Popular Player award. He backstopped the Oilers to first round playoff upsets of the Dallas Stars
Dallas Stars
The Dallas Stars are a professional ice hockey team based in Dallas, Texas. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The team was founded during the 1967 NHL expansion as the Minnesota North Stars, based in Bloomington, Minnesota. The...
and Colorado Avalanche
Colorado Avalanche
The Colorado Avalanche are a professional ice hockey team based in Denver, Colorado, United States. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Avalanche have won the Stanley Cup twice, in 1995–96 and 2000–01. The franchise...
in 1997 and 1998, respectively, their first playoff series wins since 1992.
Toronto Maple Leafs
Following the 97'-98' season, Joseph signed as a free agent with the Toronto Maple LeafsToronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
, a move which made him unpopular in Edmonton. In his first road game against Edmonton as a member of the Leafs, Joseph posted a shutout and was named the first star of the game. Throughout the game, he was greeted with boos, however, he was cheered by the fans in Edmonton upon being announced the first star of the game due to being a fan favourite. It was with the Leafs that Joseph became a superstar and he was consistently one of the most popular players of both his team (since Wendel Clark
Wendel Clark
Wendel L. Clark is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player. He is perhaps best known for being a member of the Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League , captaining the team from 1991 to 1994...
and Doug Gilmour
Doug Gilmour
Douglas Robert Gilmour is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player who is the current general manager of the Kingston Frontenacs of the Ontario Hockey League . During his National Hockey League career, Gilmour played for 7 NHL clubs: the St...
) and in the league. While with the Leafs, he had three consecutive seasons of 30+ wins, he was twice runner-up for the Vezina Trophy
Vezina Trophy
The Vezina Trophy is awarded annually to the National Hockey League's goaltender who is "adjudged to be the best at this position". At the end of each season, the 30 General Managers of the teams in the National Hockey League vote to determine the goaltender who was the most valuable to his team...
in 1999 and 2000, a finalist for the Lester B. Pearson Award
Lester B. Pearson Award
The Ted Lindsay Award, formerly known as the Lester B. Pearson Award, is awarded annually to the National Hockey League's most outstanding player in the regular season as judged by the members of the NHL Players Association. It has been awarded 40 times to 23 different players since its beginnings...
in 1999, and won the King Clancy Memorial Trophy
King Clancy Memorial Trophy
The King Clancy Memorial Trophy is awarded annually to the National Hockey League player who best exemplifies leadership qualities on and off the ice and who has made a significant humanitarian contribution to his community. Since the award was established in 1988, no player has won it more than...
in 2000. The NHL Awards presentation was held in Toronto in both 1999 and 2000, both years that Joseph was runner-up for the Vezina. When Dominik Hasek was announced the winner in 1999 and again when Olaf Kolzig was announced the winner in 2000, the audience in Toronto booed loudly, and also broke out into chants of "Cujo, Cujo!". Joseph played a key role in the Leafs' run to the Eastern Conference Finals in 1999 and 2002. In 2000, during Game One of the series against the New Jersey Devils
New Jersey Devils
The New Jersey Devils are a professional ice hockey team based in Newark, New Jersey, United States. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
, he was considered the deciding factor in the 2-1 win where the Leafs were outshot 33-21.http://www.cbc.ca/sports/story/2000/04/27/devils-leafs000427.html
After Leafs General Manager Pat Quinn
Pat Quinn (ice hockey)
John Brian Patrick Quinn , is a former head coach in the National Hockey League , most recently with the Edmonton Oilers. Known by the nickname "The Big Irishman",...
was unwilling to give Joseph a four year contract (he offered three years), he left after the 2001–2002 season to sign with the Detroit Red Wings. Some also speculated that the relationship between Quinn and Joseph was frosty because Quinn had benched Joseph in the Salt Lake City Olympics after the first game, although Joseph himself denied the rumours, saying that he played a bad first game against Sweden (losing 5-2) and that Martin Brodeur played very well for the rest of the tournament, earning his spot as the starter. Joseph had also hinted at wanting to play for a team that could win it all, implying the Leafs were not such a team. Joseph's move to Detroit was highly publicized and unpopular in Toronto.
Detroit Red Wings
Joseph moved to the Detroit Red Wings, who had just won the Stanley CupStanley Cup
The Stanley Cup is an ice hockey club trophy, awarded annually to the National Hockey League playoffs champion after the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Finals. It has been referred to as The Cup, Lord Stanley's Cup, The Holy Grail, or facetiously as Lord Stanley's Mug...
. Joseph initially was not popular with Red Wings fans but eventually found his form in the latter half of the 2002–03 season to backstop his team to the division title. Detroit was upset in the first round of the playoffs in 2003 by the eventual conference champions, the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim. In the 2003–2004 season he was originally Detroit's backup goalie when Dominik Hašek
Dominik Hašek
Dominik Hašek is a Czech ice hockey goaltender who is currently with HC Spartak Moscow of the KHL.In his 16-season National Hockey League career, he played for the Chicago Blackhawks, Buffalo Sabres, Detroit Red Wings, and the Ottawa Senators. During his years in Buffalo, he became one of the...
came out of retirement, and Detroit management tried to trade Joseph, since the team also had a capable backup in Manny Legacé
Manny Legacé
Emmanuel Legace, is a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender who is currently playing for the Springfield Falcons of the American Hockey League. He most recently played in the National Hockey League for the Carolina Hurricanes. He has also played in the National Hockey League for the Los...
. However, Joseph's $8 million USD per year contract made him hard to move. After a stint in the minors, he returned to the Red Wings lineup while Hašek was nursing a groin injury. The Red Wings plan was to attract him to other teams until Hašek returned to the lineup. But in February, Hašek decided to call it quits for the season, which once again solidified Joseph's position as the Red Wings starting goaltender. The Wings finished first overall in the league
Presidents' Trophy
The Presidents' Trophy is an award presented by the National Hockey League to the team that finishes with the most points in the league during the regular season. If two teams tie for the most points, then the trophy goes to the team with the most wins. The winning team is also awarded C$350,000...
. The Wings were defeated in the second round of the playoffs in six games by the eventual Stanley Cup finalists from the Western Conference, the Calgary Flames
Calgary Flames
The Calgary Flames are a professional ice hockey team based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is the third major-professional ice hockey team to represent the city of Calgary, following the...
.
Recent years
Joseph moved to the Phoenix CoyotesPhoenix Coyotes
The Phoenix Coyotes are a professional ice hockey team based in Glendale, Arizona. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . They play their home games at Jobing.com Arena....
via free agency in 2005 and signed a one year deal. On October 28, 2005, he won his 400th NHL game. On March 28, 2006, he posted his 424th career win, thereby moving into sixth place on the NHL’s all-time list, passing Tony Esposito
Tony Esposito
For the Italian musician, please see Tony Esposito .Anthony James "Tony O" Esposito is a retired Canadian-American professional ice hockey goaltender, who played in the National Hockey League, most notably for the Chicago Black Hawks. He was one of the pioneers of the now popular butterfly style....
. Joseph had shown interest in re-joining the Toronto Maple Leafs
Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
, indicating that he would be fine with a back-up role and a reduced salary. In September 2007 the Ottawa Senators
Ottawa Senators
The Ottawa Senators are a professional ice hockey team based in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
quietly expressed interest in acquiring Joseph if they could unload Martin Gerber
Martin Gerber
Martin Gerber is a Swiss professional ice hockey goaltender currently playing for the Växjö Lakers Hockey of the Elitserien...
and his large contract. Joseph was a member of Team Canada in the 2007 Spengler Cup
2007 Spengler Cup
The 2007 Spengler Cup was held in Davos, Switzerland between December 26, 2007 and December 31, 2007. All matches were played at host HC Davos's home Vaillant Arena...
, leading them to the championship on December 31, 2007.
On January 14, 2008, Joseph signed a one-year, US$1.5 Million contract with the Calgary Flames
Calgary Flames
The Calgary Flames are a professional ice hockey team based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is the third major-professional ice hockey team to represent the city of Calgary, following the...
. On March 1 of 2008, Joseph moved past Terry Sawchuk
Terry Sawchuk
Terrance Gordon Sawchuk was a Ukrainian-Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender who played 21 seasons in the National Hockey League for the Detroit Red Wings, Boston Bruins, Toronto Maple Leafs, Los Angeles Kings and New York Rangers.-Early life and playing career:Sawchuk was born and raised...
for fourth place in all-time NHL wins with 448 in a 3-1 win over his former team, the Phoenix Coyotes
Phoenix Coyotes
The Phoenix Coyotes are a professional ice hockey team based in Glendale, Arizona. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . They play their home games at Jobing.com Arena....
. On April 13, 2008, Joseph replaced Mikka Kiprusoff less than four minutes into the first period of Game #3 of the Flames' first round series of the 2008 playoffs with the San Jose Sharks. Joseph backstopped the Flames to a come from behind 4-3 win after initially falling behind 3-0. This win made him the first goaltender to win a post-season game as a member of five different teams: St.Louis, Edmonton, Toronto, Detroit and Calgary.
On July 1, 2008, Joseph rejoined the Toronto Maple Leafs by signing a 1 year, $700,000 contract. Joseph served primarily as a back-up for most of the season, only playing 21 games.
On December 30, 2008, Joseph recorded his 450th career win in a 4-3 overtime victory against the Atlanta Thrashers
Atlanta Thrashers
The Atlanta Thrashers were a professional ice hockey team based in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. Atlanta was granted a franchise in the National Hockey League on June 25, 1997, and became the league's 28th franchise when it began play in the 1999–2000 NHL season...
.
On March 24, 2009 against the Washington Capitals, he pulled off one last hurrah in front of the Leafs faithful. Starting goalie Martin Gerber was tossed out of the game in the final minute of the third period and 41-year-old Joseph came into the game cold. He proceeded to stop every shot, including Capitals star Alexander Ovechkin
Alexander Ovechkin
Alexander Mikhaylovich Ovechkin is a Russian professional ice hockey left winger and captain of the Washington Capitals of the National Hockey League...
in the shootout, as the Leafs went on to win in a memorable 3-2 result.
On April 8, 2009, Joseph recorded his 352 NHL loss, which ties Gump Worsley
Gump Worsley
Lorne John "Gump" Worsley was a professional ice hockey goaltender. Born and raised in Montreal, Quebec, he was given his nickname due to friends deciding he looked like comic-strip character Andy Gump.-Career:...
for the NHL record for most losses by a goaltender.
Joseph announced his retirement on January 12, 2010 in Toronto.
Currently Joseph is a goaltending coach for the Kingston Frontenacs of the OHL
Regular season
| Season Season (sports) In an organized sports league, a season is the portion of one year in which regulated games of the sport are in session. For example, in Major League Baseball, one season lasts approximately from April 1 through October 1; in Association football, it is generally from August until May In an... |
Team | League | GP | W | L | T* | MIN | GA | SO | GAA Goals against average Goals Against Average is a statistic used in ice hockey, water polo, lacrosse, and soccer that is the mean of goals allowed per game by a goaltender.... |
SV% Save percentage Save percentage is an ice hockey and lacrosse statistic that represents the percentage of shots on goal a goaltender stops... |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1988–89 | Wisconsin Badgers | WCHA | 38 | 21 | 11 | 5 | 2267 | 94 | 1 | 2.49 | |
| 1989–90 | Peoria Rivermen Peoria Rivermen (IHL) The Peoria Rivermen were an ice hockey team in the International Hockey League. They played in Peoria, Illinois, USA at the Carver Arena.... |
IHL | 23 | 10 | 8 | 2 | 1241 | 80 | 0 | 3.87 | |
| 1989–90 | St. Louis Blues St. Louis Blues The St. Louis Blues are a professional ice hockey team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The team is named after the famous W. C. Handy song "St. Louis Blues", and plays in the 19,150-seat Scottrade... |
NHL National Hockey League The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States... |
15 | 9 | 5 | 1 | 852 | 48 | 0 | 3.38 | .890 |
| 1990–91 | St. Louis Blues | NHL | 30 | 16 | 10 | 2 | 1710 | 89 | 0 | 3.12 | .898 |
| 1991–92 | St. Louis Blues | NHL | 60 | 27 | 20 | 10 | 3494 | 175 | 2 | 3.01 | .910 |
| 1992–93 | St. Louis Blues | NHL | 68 | 29 | 28 | 9 | 3890 | 196 | 1 | 3.02 | .911 |
| 1993–94 | St. Louis Blues | NHL | 71 | 36 | 23 | 11 | 4127 | 213 | 1 | 3.10 | .911 |
| 1994–95 | St. Louis Blues | NHL | 36 | 20 | 10 | 1 | 1914 | 89 | 1 | 2.79 | .902 |
| 1995–96 | Las Vegas Thunder Las Vegas Thunder The Las Vegas Thunder were an independent professional ice hockey team competing in the International Hockey League. The team's home rink was at the Thomas & Mack Center. They began play in the 1993–1994 season, folding on April 18, 1999... |
IHL | 15 | 12 | 2 | 1 | 873 | 29 | 1 | 1.99 | .929 |
| 1995–96 | Edmonton Oilers Edmonton Oilers The Edmonton Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division in the Western Conference of the National Hockey League .... |
NHL | 34 | 15 | 16 | 2 | 1935 | 111 | 0 | 3.44 | .886 |
| 1996–97 | Edmonton Oilers | NHL | 72 | 32 | 29 | 9 | 4089 | 200 | 6 | 2.93 | .907 |
| 1997–98 | Edmonton Oilers | NHL | 71 | 29 | 31 | 9 | 4132 | 181 | 8 | 2.63 | .905 |
| 1998–99 | Toronto Maple Leafs Toronto Maple Leafs The Toronto Maple Leafs are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League... |
NHL | 67 | 35 | 24 | 7 | 4001 | 171 | 3 | 2.56 | .910 |
| 1999–00 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 63 | 36 | 20 | 7 | 3801 | 158 | 4 | 2.49 | .915 |
| 2000–01 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 68 | 33 | 27 | 8 | 4100 | 163 | 6 | 2.39 | .915 |
| 2001–02 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 51 | 29 | 17 | 5 | 3065 | 114 | 4 | 2.23 | .906 |
| 2002–03 | Detroit Red Wings Detroit Red Wings The Detroit Red Wings are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League , and are one of the Original Six teams of the NHL, along with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, New York... |
NHL | 61 | 34 | 19 | 6 | 3566 | 148 | 5 | 2.49 | .912 |
| 2003–04 2003–04 AHL season The 2003–04 AHL season was the 68th season of the American Hockey League. The league introduces the Willie Marshall Award in honour the career points leader in the AHL, and awards it to the annual top goal scorer.... |
Grand Rapids Griffins Grand Rapids Griffins The Grand Rapids Griffins are a professional hockey team in the American Hockey League . They play in Grand Rapids, Michigan at the Van Andel Arena. They are the AHL affiliate to the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League.... |
AHL American Hockey League The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League... |
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 60 | 1 | 0 | 1.00 | .952 |
| 2003–04 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 31 | 16 | 10 | 3 | 1708 | 68 | 2 | 2.39 | .909 |
| 2005–06 | Phoenix Coyotes Phoenix Coyotes The Phoenix Coyotes are a professional ice hockey team based in Glendale, Arizona. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . They play their home games at Jobing.com Arena.... |
NHL | 60 | 32 | 21 | 3 | 3424 | 166 | 4 | 2.91 | .902 |
| 2006–07 | Phoenix Coyotes | NHL | 55 | 18 | 31 | 2 | 2993 | 159 | 4 | 3.19 | .893 |
| 2007–08 | Calgary Flames Calgary Flames The Calgary Flames are a professional ice hockey team based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is the third major-professional ice hockey team to represent the city of Calgary, following the... |
NHL | 9 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 399 | 17 | 0 | 2.55 | .906 |
| 2008–09 2008–09 NHL season The 2008–09 NHL season was the 92nd season of operation of the National Hockey League . It was the first season since prior to the 2004–05 lockout in which every team played each other at least once during the season, following three seasons where teams only played against two divisions in the... |
Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 21 | 5 | 9 | 1 | 383 | 50 | 0 | 3.57 | .869 |
| NHL totals | 943 | 454 | 352 | 90 | 54055 | 2516 | 51 | 2.79 | .906 | ||
Playoffs
| Season | Team | League | GP | W | L | MIN | GA | SA | SO | GAA | SV% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1989–90 | St. Louis Blues | NHL | 6 | 4 | 1 | 327 | 18 | 166 | 0 | 3.30 | .892 |
| 1991–92 | St. Louis Blues | NHL | 6 | 2 | 4 | 379 | 23 | 217 | 0 | 3.64 | .894 |
| 1992–93 | St. Louis Blues | NHL | 11 | 7 | 4 | 715 | 27 | 438 | 2 | 2.27 | .938 |
| 1993–94 | St. Louis Blues | NHL | 4 | 0 | 4 | 246 | 15 | 158 | 0 | 3.66 | .905 |
| 1994–95 | St. Louis Blues | NHL | 7 | 3 | 3 | 392 | 24 | 178 | 0 | 3.67 | .865 |
| 1996–97 | Edmonton Oilers | NHL | 12 | 5 | 7 | 767 | 36 | 405 | 2 | 2.82 | .911 |
| 1997–98 | Edmonton Oilers | NHL | 12 | 5 | 7 | 715 | 23 | 319 | 3 | 1.93 | .928 |
| 1998–99 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 17 | 9 | 8 | 1011 | 41 | 440 | 1 | 2.43 | .907 |
| 1999–00 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 12 | 6 | 6 | 729 | 25 | 369 | 1 | 2.06 | .932 |
| 2000–01 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 11 | 7 | 4 | 685 | 24 | 329 | 3 | 2.10 | .927 |
| 2001–02 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 20 | 10 | 10 | 1253 | 48 | 557 | 3 | 2.30 | .934 |
| 2002–03 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 4 | 0 | 4 | 289 | 10 | 120 | 0 | 2.08 | .917 |
| 2003–04 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 9 | 4 | 4 | 518 | 12 | 197 | 1 | 1.39 | .939 |
| 2007–08 | Calgary Flames | NHL | 2 | 1 | 0 | 79 | 1 | 33 | 0 | 0.76 | .970 |
| NHL totals | 132 | 63 | 66 | 8,106 | 327 | 3,904 | 16 | 2.45 | .917 | ||
International play
Joseph represented Canada at:- 1996 IIHF World Championships1996 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships- Group 2 :- Quarterfinals :- Consolation Round 11-12 Place :Austria was relegated to Group B.- Semifinals :- Match for third place :- Final :-World Championship Group B :...
(Silver Medal) - 1996 World Cup of Hockey1996 World Cup of HockeyThe first World Cup of Hockey , or 1996 World Cup of Hockey, replaced the Canada Cup as one of the premier championships for professional ice hockey ....
(Lost Final) - 1997 IIHF World Championships1997 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships- Group 2 :- Second Round 1-6 Place :Teams that had played each other in the first round carried those results forward. First and second place played off for gold, third and fourth for bronze.- Consolation Round 7-12 Place :...
(Gold Medal) - 1998 Winter OlympicsIce hockey at the 1998 Winter OlympicsIce hockey at the 1998 Winter Olympics was played at The Big Hat and Aqua Wing Arena in Nagano, Japan.-Men's tournament:The 1998 Olympic men's ice hockey tournament was the first in which professional players from the National Hockey League were allowed to participate, allowing national teams to...
(4th place) - 2002 Winter OlympicsIce hockey at the 2002 Winter OlympicsIce hockey at the 2002 Winter Olympics were held at the E Center in West Valley City and Peaks Ice Arena in Provo, Utah. Both the men's and women's tournaments were won by Canada, defeating the host USA in both games.-Men:...
(Gold Medal) - 2007 Spengler Cup2007 Spengler CupThe 2007 Spengler Cup was held in Davos, Switzerland between December 26, 2007 and December 31, 2007. All matches were played at host HC Davos's home Vaillant Arena...
(Gold Medal)
Awards
- 1993-94 NHL All-Star Game
- 1998-99 NHL All-Star Game
- 1999–2000 NHL All-Star Game
- 2000 King Clancy Memorial TrophyKing Clancy Memorial TrophyThe King Clancy Memorial Trophy is awarded annually to the National Hockey League player who best exemplifies leadership qualities on and off the ice and who has made a significant humanitarian contribution to his community. Since the award was established in 1988, no player has won it more than...
- 2002 Olympic Gold Medal (Team Canada)
- 2007 Spengler CupSpengler CupThe Spengler Cup is an annual ice hockey tournament held in Davos, Switzerland. First held in 1923, the Spengler Cup is often cited as the oldest invitational ice hockey tournament in the world. The event is hosted by the Swiss team HC Davos and played each year in Davos, Switzerland, between...
(Team Canada)