Alex Lyon (ice hockey)

Alexander Augustus Lyon (born December 9, 1992) is an American professional ice hockey goaltender for the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League (NHL). He played collegiately for the Yale Bulldogs men's ice hockey team, competing in the ECAC.

Early life
Lyon was born on December 9, 1992, in Baudette, Minnesota. For the first seven years of his life, Lyon and his older sister Sam grew up on an island in Lake of the Woods, and he attended school for one year at a small schoolhouse. His parents were fishing lodge managers on the island, while their children took a rowboat to school. The Lyons moved back to mainland Minnesota in 2000, at which point Lyon began playing hockey. Of the 25 male students in Lyon's graduating class at Lake of the Woods High School, 15 played ice hockey for the varsity team, including Lyon. During his senior year in 2009–10, Lyon served as the goaltender for all 26 Lake of the Woods high school games. In those 26 games, he posted a .948 save percentage (SV%).

NCAA
While at Yale University, Lyon was named Ivy League co-Rookie of the Year in 2014. After leading the nation in save percentage, shutouts and goals-against average, Lyon was presented with the Ken Dryden Award (given to the best goalie in the ECAC) his sophomore season, while receiving First-Team AHCA/CCM All-America, First-Team All-ECAC, First-Team All-New England as well as First-Team All-Ivy League honors. He was also the winner of the J. Murray Murdoch Award as Yale's Most Valuable Player.

Individual awards kept rolling in for Lyon after the 2015–16 season, as he repeated as Ken Dryden Award recipient and also landed spots on the All-ECAC First Team, the All-Ivy League First Team and the All-New England First Team for the second straight year.

Philadelphia Flyers
Lyon opted to forgo his senior season at Yale and signed an entry-level contract with the Philadelphia Flyers of the National Hockey League (NHL) on April 5, 2016. Lyon made his first NHL start February 1, 2018 in a 4–3 loss to the New Jersey Devils. On February 18, 2018, Lyon recorded his first NHL win with the Flyers after replacing an injured Michal Neuvirth in the second period. Lyon saved 25 of 26 shots by the New York Rangers en route to a 7–4 victory.

On May 9, 2018, in a playoff win over the Charlotte Checkers, Lyon saved 94 of 95 shots faced in a record-setting 146 minutes 48 seconds, making it the longest game in AHL history. The game went to the fifth overtime, with the Phantoms winning 2–1.

On November 5, 2018, Lyon was recalled to Philadelphia following an injury to Michal Neuvirth. Lyon was again recalled to the Flyers on November 16.

On January 15, 2020, the Flyers recalled Lyon to the NHL following an injury to Carter Hart. On February 1, 2020, Lyon recorded his first NHL win since March 22, 2018.

Carolina Hurricanes
Following the 2020–21 season, his fifth within the Philadelphia Flyers organization, Lyon left as a free agent and was signed to a one-year, two-way contract with the Carolina Hurricanes on July 30, 2021. Lyon played the majority of the season with the Hurricanes' AHL affiliate Chicago Wolves, only tallying two games with the Hurricanes. With the Wolves, Lyon finished the regular season with 18 wins and 3 shutouts, earning him the Hap Holmes Memorial Award for the AHL goaltender with the lowest goals against average. He tallied two additional shutouts in the playoffs, including a 28-save shutout in the final game to win the Calder Cup.

Florida Panthers
On July 13, 2022, Lyon signed a two-way free agent contract with the Florida Panthers. Lyon posting a 7–2 record with a 2.00 GAA over his last nine starts for the Charlotte Checkers. With Panthers starting goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky ill and regular backup goaltender Spencer Knight participating in the NHL's player assistance program for undisclosed issues, Lyon was called up to the NHL. He proceeded to lead the team on a lengthy winning streak that brought the team back into contention for the 2023 Stanley Cup playoffs, earning the nickname "the Lyon King." Such was his success that he retained the starting role even after Bobrovsky returned, with the latter praising him, saying he "basically saved our season." Lyon started the opening games of the Panthers' first round playoff series against the Boston Bruins. However, with the Bruins leading the Panthers two games to one following Game 3, coach Paul Maurice opted to return Bobrovsky to the net, stating that he felt Lyon was fatigued. Bobrovsky proceeded to lead the team to victory against the Bruins, and onward through the second and third rounds of the playoffs to the 2023 Stanley Cup Finals against the Vegas Golden Knights. Lyon served as backup goaltender. He took the ice against in Game 2 of the Finals, relieving Bobrovsky after he allowed four goals.

Detroit Red Wings
On July 1, 2023, Lyon signed as a free agent to a two-year, $1.8 million contract with the Detroit Red Wings.

International play
Lyon won bronze with the US National Team at the 2015 World Championships in the Czech Republic, seeing action in one game during the tournament.

Personal Life
Along with his play, Lyon has become known for his humor. His running gag known as "Lyon Eyes" -- an intense stare at the camera during off-ice footage -- has become a favorite antic of fans. After completing a 28-save shutout to give the Chicago Wolves the Calder Cup in 2022, Lyon was suspended for two games as the AHL's online stream captured him flipping double birds as celebratory photos were being taken.