Markstrom has Kiprusoff’s Flames shutout record in his sights

Feb 2 2022, 12:17 am

Jacob Markstrom is chasing down Miikka Kiprusoff. 

Not literally, of course. Though, it’d make for quite the viral video.

But Markstrom is inching closer and closer with every opponent’s blanking to Kiprusoff’s franchise record of 10 shutouts in a single season. 

Kiprusoff managed his in the 2005-06 season, which saw him capture both the Jennings and Vezina tophies. Markstrom is approaching at a pace that would shatter the old mark. 

Unsurprisingly, both are doing it under coach Darryl Sutter. 

In marking a 1-0 overtime victory against the Vancouver Canucks on Saturday, Markstrom extended his NHL lead in shutouts to seven — just a stone’s throw from Kiprusoff’s mark. 

He’s managed that number in 31 starts. 

By comparison, Kiprusoff had five through his first 31 games of the 2005-06 season and finished the back half of the season with an additional five in 42 starts of the season for a total of 10.

Kirprusoff won the Vezina and Jennings that year.

Should he keep his current, torrid pace, Markstrom would add an additional eight zeros — or seven, if you prefer to round down on a half-number — to put him well clear of Kiprusoff and into some even more elite company. 

Only Tony Esposito with the 1969-70 Chicago Blackhawks has had more than 13 since the record-setting season of George Hainsworth of the Montreal Canadiens in 1928-29.

To get into that stratosphere, Markstrom needs to get past Kiprusoff first. 

And before he can pass Kiprusoff, he’s got to leapfrog Phil Myre, Fred Brathwaite, Roman Turek, and Mike Vernon on another list. 

Markstrom, who’s suited up for just 74 contests in Calgary silks, currently sits seventh overall with the franchise in shutouts at 10. The four remaining shutouts needed to eclipse Kiprusoff’s single-season mark would also see him pass each of the four aforementioned goalies into third overall on the Flames franchise list behind Kiprusoff’s 41 career donuts in 576 games, and the 20 shutouts that Dan Bouchard split over 398 games in both Atlanta and Calgary.

But Markstrom isn’t alone in some potential history-making antics. He’s had some help along the way on another front. 

The Flames have nine shutouts this season, summed up between Markstrom’s seven and two from backup Dan Vladar. That mark is tied for the third-most through 40 games in NHL history — just a pair behind the all-time mark set at 11 by the 1930-31 Blackhawks. Calgary’s nine is tied with five other teams to accomplish this feat in NHL history.

The record in a single season is set at 22 by the 1928-29 Montreal Canadiens. 

Not quite the pace they were keeping through the first month, but pretty solid nonetheless.

 The modern record is held by the 2011-12 St. Louis Blues and shared by the Esposito’s 1969-70 Blackhawks at 15.

Not quite within reach. Not yet. 

But should Markstrom’s pace hold, he’ll have rewritten a few pages in the record book. 

There may even be a Vezina to haul home, too. 

Aaron VickersAaron Vickers

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