Mike Fountain

Last updated
Mike Fountain
Born (1972-01-26) January 26, 1972 (age 52)
North York, Ontario, Canada
Height 6 ft 1 in (185 cm)
Weight 180 lb (82 kg; 12 st 12 lb)
Position Goaltender
Caught Left
Played for Vancouver Canucks
Carolina Hurricanes
Ottawa Senators
HC Lada Togliatti
NHL Draft 45th overall, 1992
Vancouver Canucks
Playing career 1992–2009

Michael Fountain (born January 26, 1972) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Vancouver Canucks, Carolina Hurricanes, and Ottawa Senators. He also played several seasons in the American Hockey League (AHL), as well as in the Russian Superleague. Since retiring as a player, he became an Assistant Coach for the Team Canada Para Hockey Team. [1]

Contents

Playing career

Fountain grew up in the small town of Gravenhurst, Ontario. As a 15-year-old, Fountain played Jr.C. hockey for the Hunstville Blair McCanns in 1988-89. He was named rookie of the year and made the All Star Team. Fountain was drafted in the 15th round of the 1989 OHL Draft by the S.S. Marie Greyhounds.

After being drafted by the Greyhounds, he was assigned to the Chatham Micmacs Jr.B. hockey club in 1989-90 where he was teammates with future NHL players Todd Warriner and Brian Wiseman. The Micmacs won the Western JR B Championship

Fountain played two seasons of junior hockey in the Ontario Hockey League with the Oshawa Generals and was named to the OHL First All-Star team in 1992. He was also one of the netminders for Canada at that year's World Junior Championships. Following his junior success, Fountain was selected 45th overall in the 1992 NHL Entry Draft by the Vancouver Canucks.

Fountain turned pro for the 1992–93 season, and was assigned to the Hamilton Canucks of the American Hockey League. He played for the Syracuse Crunch from 94-97 with a GA of 3.2. http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php?pid=1754 He established himself as one of the top goalies outside of the NHL with a standout 1993–94 campaign, during which he led the AHL with 70 appearances, 34 wins, and 4 shutouts, and was named to the league's Second All-Star Team.

However, cracking the NHL would be difficult for Fountain. Just as it appeared he was ready to succeed Kay Whitmore as the backup to Kirk McLean with the Canucks, the team acquired highly rated Corey Hirsch, who passed Fountain on the depth chart and was promoted directly to the NHL. Fountain proceeded to toil for two more seasons in the AHL without getting an NHL opportunity. He was finally able to make his NHL debut midway through the 1996–97 season, and did so in memorable style. He became the 19th goalie in NHL history to record a shutout in their first NHL game, doing so against the New Jersey Devils, and nearly scored a goal as well, sending the puck just a few feet wide of the empty net late in the game. [2] He finished the year with a 2–2–0 record and a 3.43 GAA in 6 appearances.

Fountain left Vancouver to sign as a free agent with the Carolina Hurricanes for the 1997–98. He signed with the Ottawa Senators in 1999 and spent two seasons with the organization as their third goaltender, appearing in one NHL game in both years while performing well in the IHL and setting standards no Griffins goalie has attained since. He was named an IHL All Star in 2000/2001 season.

In 2001, Fountain left North America to sign in the Russian Super League with HC Lada Togliatti and led the RHL in GAA in his first season. He also set the all time Russian shutout record with 14 shutouts in 43 starts. After two years in Russia, he signed in Germany for 2003–04 with the Iserlohn Roosters. He returned to Russia in 2005, playing for Traktor Chelyabinsk, where he won the Russian Championship and was named MVP before re-joining Lada Togliatti in 2006.

Fountain has appeared in 11 NHL games, posting a 2–6–0 record with a 3.47 GAA.

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Regular season Playoffs
Season TeamLeagueGPWLTMINGA SO GAA SV% GPWLMINGASOGAASV%
1988–89Huntsville Huskies GMOHL 22183213068203.77—————————
1989–90 Chatham MicMac WOHL 21———12497603.65—————————
1990–91 Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds OHL 75203801903.00.898————————
1990–91 Oshawa Generals OHL30175114838403.40.8878142922605.34—
1991–92 Oshawa GeneralsOHL4018136226014913.96.8907344292603.64—
1992–93 Hamilton Canucks AHL 122806184604.47.862————————
1992–93 Canada National Team Intl137517453712.98—————————
1993–94 Hamilton CanucksAHL7034286400524143.61.8863021461204.92.782
1994–95 Syracuse Crunch AHL6125297361822523.73.887————————
1995–96 Syracuse CrunchAHL5421273306018413.61.88715879155723.74.884
1996–97 Vancouver Canucks NHL 62202451413.43.896————————
1996–97 Syracuse CrunchAHL25814214627813.20.8912021201206.02.797
1997–98 Carolina Hurricanes NHL30301631003.68.853————————
1997–98 Beast of New Haven AHL5025195299213932.85.903————————
1998–99 Beast of New HavenAHL5123243298915023.01.914————————
1999–00 Ottawa Senators NHL100016103.87.833————————
1999–00 Grand Rapids Griffins IHL 36217418517732.50.910100204012.00.714
2000–01 Ottawa SenatorsNHL101059303.07.880————————
2000–01 Grand Rapids GriffinsIHL5234106300510462.08.9248535222112.41.908
2001–02 Lada Togliatti RSL 43———259159141.37.9314——249701.69.915
2002–03 Lada TogliattiRSL21———10283151.81.9263——40203.00.913
2003–04 Iserlohn Roosters DEL 34———195710423.19.899————————
2004–05 Motor City Mechanics UHL 30301781003.38.907————————
2005–06 Traktor Chelyabinsk RSL39——————1.24.931————————
2006–07 Lada TogliattiRSL16———8453232.27.910————————
2007–08 Lada TogliattiRSL54————13232.55.9084———1203.01.879
2008–09 Lada Togliatti KHL 14———6382802.63.905————————
NHL totals112604822813.49.880————————

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References

  1. ↑ "2018-19 National Para Hockey Team Roster".
  2. ↑ "Mike Fountain's Memorable Debut". Canucks Classics. Archived from the original on 2021-12-19.
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