Topic: Mathieu Garon

Mathieu Garon (born January 9, 1978 in Chandler, Quebec) is a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender currently playing for the Columbus Blue Jackets of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was drafted 44th overall by the Montreal Canadiens in the 1996 NHL Entry Draft. Garon has also played for the Los Angeles Kings, the Edmonton Oilers, and the Pittsburgh Penguins, with whom he won the Stanley Cup in 2009.

Garon spent his junior career with the Victoriaville Tigres of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL). In three seasons with the Tigres, Garon posted a 74-63-5 record. At the conclusion of the 1997-98 season, the last of his junior career, he won the Jacques Plante Memorial Trophy as the best goaltender in the QMJHL and was named to the QMJHL First All-Star Team. He was also named CHL Goaltender of the Year as the top goalie in Canadian major-junior hockey and to the CHL First All-Star team. Garon also played for Team Canada at the 1998 World Junior Championships in Finland.

After being drafted by the Canadiens in the second round in 1996, Garon spent the first five seasons of his professional career playing primarily with the Canadiens' American Hockey League (AHL) affiliates, which included the Fredericton Canadiens, the Quebec Citadelles, and the Hamilton Bulldogs. He was called-up for brief stints with the Canadiens before he won the full-time back-up job with the team for the 2003-04 season. He played 19 games behind José Théodore that season, posting an 8-6-2 record, a 2.27 goals against average (GAA) and .921 save percentage.