Leland Irving
Encyclopedia
Leland Irving is a Canadian
professional ice hockey
goaltender
currently playing for the Abbotsford Heat
of the American Hockey League
(AHL) and is a prospect for the Calgary Flames
of the National Hockey League
(NHL).
, Alberta
, Irving was diagnosed with rhabdomyosarcoma
, a rare cancer
, as an eight-year-old when a bump resembling an insect bite above his left ear was found to be cancerous. He endured 13 months of chemotherapy
, overcoming the illness.
by the Calgary Flames
. He played five seasons of major junior hockey in the Western Hockey League
(WHL) with the Everett Silvertips
. The 2007–08 WHL season
was his fifth and final season with the Silvertips; he played 56 games and sported a 2.45 goals against average
. He finished his WHL career tied with Bryan Bridges
for the league's all-time record for career shutout
s with 21 (he was later surpassed the following season by Tyson Sexsmith
of the Vancouver Giants
).
On January 18, 2007 Irving was signed by the Flames to an entry-level contract. On April 22, 2007 he was assigned to the Omaha Ak-Sar-Ben Knights
of the American Hockey League
(AHL). He practiced with the club, and dressed in two of the final playoff games behind starter Curtis McElhinney
. For the 2008–09 season
, Irving was assigned to the Quad City Flames
, Calgary's AHL affiliate.
as one of three rotating goalies for the 2007 Super Series
between Canada and Russia's national under-20 teams. He made his first appearance in the series, starting game 3 on August 31, 2007. He stopped 32 of 34 shots on goal and was awarded as Canada’s Player of the Game. Canada defeated Russia 7-0-1 in eight games.
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...
currently playing for the Abbotsford Heat
Abbotsford Heat
The Abbotsford Heat are a professional ice hockey team based in Abbotsford, British Columbia, Canada. The Heat began play during 2009-10 season, and are the affiliate of the National Hockey League's Calgary Flames...
of the American Hockey League
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...
(AHL) and is a prospect for 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...
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...
(NHL).
Early life
A native of Swan HillsSwan Hills, Alberta
Swan Hills is a town in northern Alberta, Canada. It is located north of Whitecourt at the junction of Highway 32 and Grizzly Trail. Swan Hills is located in Municipal District of Big Lakes within census Division No...
, Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
, Irving was diagnosed with rhabdomyosarcoma
Rhabdomyosarcoma
A rhabdomyosarcoma is a type of cancer, specifically a sarcoma , in which the cancer cells are thought to arise from skeletal muscle progenitors. It can also be found attached to muscle tissue, wrapped around intestines, or in any anatomic location...
, a rare cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
, as an eight-year-old when a bump resembling an insect bite above his left ear was found to be cancerous. He endured 13 months of chemotherapy
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is the treatment of cancer with an antineoplastic drug or with a combination of such drugs into a standardized treatment regimen....
, overcoming the illness.
Playing career
Irving was drafted in the first round, 26th overall, in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft2006 NHL Entry Draft
The 2006 NHL Entry Draft was the 44th NHL Entry Draft. It was held at General Motors Place in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, on June 24, 2006.The draft order for the first 14 picks was decided during a lottery held on April 20, 2006....
by 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...
. He played five seasons of major junior hockey in the Western Hockey League
Western Hockey League
The Western Hockey League is a major junior ice hockey league based in Western Canada and the Northwestern United States. The WHL is one of three leagues that constitute the Canadian Hockey League as the highest level of junior hockey in Canada...
(WHL) with the Everett Silvertips
Everett Silvertips
The Everett Silvertips are a major junior ice hockey team in the Western Hockey League that plays in Everett, Washington. They joined the league as an expansion team for the 2003–04 WHL season. The team name comes from the silvertip bear...
. The 2007–08 WHL season
2007–08 WHL season
The 2007–08 WHL season was the 42nd season of the Western Hockey League . The regular season began on September 20, 2007, and ended on March 16, 2008. The WHL Playoffs began on March 21, 2008, and ended on May 7, 2008....
was his fifth and final season with the Silvertips; he played 56 games and sported a 2.45 goals against average
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....
. He finished his WHL career tied with Bryan Bridges
Bryan Bridges
Bryan Bridges is a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender.-Playing career:Bridges played major junior hockey in the Western Hockey League for five seasons with the Kootenay Ice and Seattle Thunderbirds. While playing for the Ice 2001–02 he won the memorial cup...
for the league's all-time record for career shutout
Shutout
In team sports, a shutout refers to a game in which one team prevents the opposing team from scoring. While possible in most major sports, they are highly improbable in some sports, such as basketball....
s with 21 (he was later surpassed the following season by Tyson Sexsmith
Tyson Sexsmith
Tyson Sexsmith is a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender. He is currently playing with the Worcester Sharks of the American Hockey League...
of the Vancouver Giants
Vancouver Giants
The Vancouver Giants are a major junior ice hockey team playing in the Western Hockey League . Inaugurated in 2001–02, the Giants have won one President's Cup in 2006 and one Memorial Cup in 2007 in their ten-season history...
).
On January 18, 2007 Irving was signed by the Flames to an entry-level contract. On April 22, 2007 he was assigned to the Omaha Ak-Sar-Ben Knights
Omaha Ak-Sar-Ben Knights
The Omaha Ak-Sar-Ben Knights were a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. They played in Omaha, Nebraska, USA at the Omaha Civic Auditorium from 2005–07...
of the American Hockey League
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...
(AHL). He practiced with the club, and dressed in two of the final playoff games behind starter Curtis McElhinney
Curtis McElhinney
Robert Curtis McElhinney is a Canadian professional ice hockey player with the Portland Pirates of the American Hockey League. McElhinney was a sixth-round selection of the Flames, 176th overall, at the 2002 NHL Entry Draft...
. For the 2008–09 season
2008–09 AHL season
The 2008–09 AHL season is the 73rd season of the American Hockey League. 29 teams each played 80 games in the regular season, which ran from October 8 until April 12.-Team and NHL affiliation changes:...
, Irving was assigned to the Quad City Flames
Quad City Flames
The Quad City Flames were an ice hockey team that played between 2007 and 2009. They were owned by QC Sports Ventures Inc., an ownership group based out of the Quad Cities. The Flames played at the I wireless Center in Moline, Illinois. They were the American Hockey League farm team of the...
, Calgary's AHL affiliate.
International play
In June 2007, Irving was named to Team CanadaCanada national junior hockey team
The Canadian men's national under 20 ice hockey team is the national under-20 ice hockey team in Canada. The team represents Canada at the International Ice Hockey Federation's World Junior Hockey Championship, held annually every December and January...
as one of three rotating goalies for the 2007 Super Series
2007 Super Series
The 2007 Super Series was an eight-game Under-20 ice hockey challenge between Russia and Canada. The series was won by Canada, who shocked the Russians with seven wins and one tie . Over the course of the eight games, Canada outscored Russia 39-13. The Series was held from August 27 to September 9...
between Canada and Russia's national under-20 teams. He made his first appearance in the series, starting game 3 on August 31, 2007. He stopped 32 of 34 shots on goal and was awarded as Canada’s Player of the Game. Canada defeated Russia 7-0-1 in eight games.
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.... |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003–04 | Everett Silvertips Everett Silvertips The Everett Silvertips are a major junior ice hockey team in the Western Hockey League that plays in Everett, Washington. They joined the league as an expansion team for the 2003–04 WHL season. The team name comes from the silvertip bear... |
WHL Western Hockey League The Western Hockey League is a major junior ice hockey league based in Western Canada and the Northwestern United States. The WHL is one of three leagues that constitute the Canadian Hockey League as the highest level of junior hockey in Canada... |
1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| 2004–05 | Everett Silvertips | WHL | 23 | 9 | 8 | 1 | 1132 | 34 | 2 | 1.80 |
| 2005–06 | Everett Silvertips | WHL | 67 | 37 | 22 | 4 | 3791 | 121 | 4 | 1.92 |
| 2006–07 | Everett Silvertips | WHL | 48 | 34 | 9 | 3 | 2802 | 87 | 11 | 1.86 |
| 2007–08 2007–08 WHL season The 2007–08 WHL season was the 42nd season of the Western Hockey League . The regular season began on September 20, 2007, and ended on March 16, 2008. The WHL Playoffs began on March 21, 2008, and ended on May 7, 2008.... |
Everett Silvertips | WHL | 56 | 27 | 24 | 3 | 3258 | 133 | 4 | 2.45 |
| 2008–09 2008–09 AHL season The 2008–09 AHL season is the 73rd season of the American Hockey League. 29 teams each played 80 games in the regular season, which ran from October 8 until April 12.-Team and NHL affiliation changes:... |
Quad City Flames Quad City Flames The Quad City Flames were an ice hockey team that played between 2007 and 2009. They were owned by QC Sports Ventures Inc., an ownership group based out of the Quad Cities. The Flames played at the I wireless Center in Moline, Illinois. They were the American Hockey League farm team of the... |
AHL | 47 | 24 | 18 | 2 | 2658 | 99 | 1 | 2.23 |
| 2009–10 2009–10 AHL season The 2009–10 AHL season was the 74th season of the American Hockey League. Twenty-nine teams played 80 regular-season games each from October 2 to April 11... |
Abbotsford Heat Abbotsford Heat The Abbotsford Heat are a professional ice hockey team based in Abbotsford, British Columbia, Canada. The Heat began play during 2009-10 season, and are the affiliate of the National Hockey League's Calgary Flames... |
AHL | 35 | 14 | 17 | 2 | 1850 | 85 | 1 | 2.76 |
| 2009–10 2009–10 ECHL season The 2009–10 ECHL season was the 22nd season of the ECHL. It ran from October, 2009 until April, 2010, followed by the Kelly Cup playoffs which lasted until May 21, 2010 as the Cincinnati Cyclones won their second Kelly Cup championship in three years by defeating the Idaho Steelheads in five games... |
Victoria Salmon Kings Victoria Salmon Kings The Victoria Salmon Kings were a professional ice hockey team based in Victoria, British Columbia. They were members of the Mountain Division of the Western Conference of the ECHL, debuting in the 2004–05 ECHL season and folding after the 2010–11 ECHL season as the Chilliwack Bruins WHL franchise... |
ECHL ECHL The ECHL is a mid-level professional ice hockey league based in Princeton, New Jersey with teams scattered across the United States... |
8 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 490 | 25 | 0 | 3.06 |
| 2010–11 2010–11 AHL season The 2010–11 AHL season is the 75th season of the American Hockey League. An all-time high of thirty teams will play 80 games each during the regular season schedule, which started on October 8, 2010 and ended on April 10, 2011... |
Abbotsford Heat Abbotsford Heat The Abbotsford Heat are a professional ice hockey team based in Abbotsford, British Columbia, Canada. The Heat began play during 2009-10 season, and are the affiliate of the National Hockey League's Calgary Flames... |
AHL | 61 | 30 | 26 | 8 | 3437 | 40 | 8 | 2.30 |
| AHL totals | 101 | 49 | 41 | 10 | 5623 | 224 | 10 | 2.38 | ||
Playoffs
| Season | Team | League | GP | W | L | MIN | GA | SO | GAA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003–04 | Everett Silvertips | WHL | 3 | 1 | 0 | 104 | 2 | 0 | 1.15 |
| 2005–06 | Everett Silvertips | WHL | 12 | 8 | 3 | 747 | 21 | 3 | 1.68 |
| 2006–07 | Everett Silvertips | WHL | 12 | 6 | 5 | 639 | 30 | 0 | 2.81 |
| 2007–08 | Everett Silvertips | WHL | 3 | 0 | 3 | 139 | 10 | 0 | 4.30 |
| 2009–10 | Abbotsford Heat | AHL | 1 | 0 | 1 | 14 | 3 | 0 | 12.97 |
| WHL totals | 30 | 15 | 11 | 1629 | 63 | 3 | 2.32 | ||