“Former NHL Star Netminder Curtis Joseph Featured Speaker at 2025 “’Off The Leash Luncheon’”

by Michael P. J. Kennedy, Ph.D.

For more than fifteen years, the Huskie Men’s Hockey Team Alumni and their supporters have hosted “Off the Leash Luncheon” each fall to raise money for the current team. Featured speakers have come from across the spectrum of NHL players, coaches, and management. This year’s edition of the event to be held 13 November at Prairieland Exhibition Centre will feature Curtis Joseph.

Perhaps best known for his stellar performances as a Toronto Maple Leaf (1998-2002; 2008-09), St. Louis Blue (1989-95), and Edmonton Oiler (1995-98), “Cujo” suited up for a total of 943 NHL regular season contests also toiling between the pipes for Detroit (2002-04), Phoenix (2005-07), and Calgary (2007-08).  His 454 regular season wins over his 19 year career in the National League are among the 10 best in history.

Among his accomplishments on the ice at the professional level, he was the first goalie in NHL history to have reached the thirty win mark in a season with five different teams. Indeed, he reached that laudable mark three consecutive seasons while backstopping the Leafs. A finalist for the Vezina Trophy in 1993, 1999, and 2000, he was named to the NHL all-star team in 1994, 1999, and 2000. Lifetime, he sported a .906 save percentage and a solid 2.79 goals against average including 51 shutouts and 63 playoff wins and 16 playoff shutouts.

The Ontario native was a member of the gold medal-winning Team Canada at the 2002 Olympics as well as part of the 1998 team at Nagano. His international experience has included a gold medal at the Spengler Cup in in 2007, a silver medal at the International Ice Hockey Federation World Championships in 1996, and runner up status at the World Cup of Hockey also in 1996.

A former Hound at Athol Murray College of Notre Dame in Wilcox, Joseph helped his team capture the Centennial Cup in 1988. From there he plied his skills with University of Wisconsin—Madison where he was named Freshman of the Year, a WCHA all-star and MVP, and a second team NCAA All-American in 1989.

Since turning professional in 1989-90, his actions off the ice have merited him the King Clancy Memorial Trophy for leadership and humanitarian action. Among the charitable endeavours the Keswick, Ontario-born netminder has undertaken are the establishment of “Cujo’s Kids” Charitable Foundation. While with the Leafs, he purchased a private suite at what was then Air Canada Centre to allow children in Toronto’s Hospital for Sick Children to attend Leafs’ games for free. Also at Sick Children’s Hospital, he set up “Cujo’s Crease” a satellite anesthesia room, a unique recovery room  decorated to look like an NHL dressing room. He has done other charitable initiatives while playing in Edmonton and Detroit as well. Recently he was named to the St. Louis Blues Hall of Fame.

Curtis Joseph faced may challenges as a youth growing up which he has captured in his autobiography Cujo: The Untold Story of My Life On and Off the Ice, which was published in 2018.  Despite so many early conflicts within his own life, Cujo has been a solid presence on the ice for every team for which he has performed as well as a solid community member and benefactor.

Today he resides primarily in Arizona, but continues to be a presence in the Toronto area as he remains an active alumni speaker and an ambassador for the Toronto Maple Leafs.

“Off the Leash Luncheon” is proud to welcome Curtis Joseph as this year’s feature speaker at the event to be held Thursday, 13 November at Prairieland Park. The luncheon runs between 11:30 a.m. and lasts until 1:00 p.m. with long-time funnyman Kelly Taylor serving as master of ceremonies. Also present, will be the coaches and players from the 2024-25 Huskie Men’s Hockey Team. In addition,  the annual Award of Recognition will be presented to a former Huskie and very active alumnus Taylor Wildeman, a worthy recipient who has supported the team for many years.

Individual tickets or tables for a group may be purchased online at Eventbrite.

(https://www.eventbrite.ca) 

                                                          SOURCES CONSULTED

Breakfast Television. breakfasttelevision.ca (19 January 2024): N.p.

“Curtis Joseph.” Eliteprospects.com (8 August 2025): N.p.

“Curtis Joseph.” Hockeydb.com (8 August 2025): N.p.

“Curtis Joseph.” Nhl.com (13 August 2025): N.p.

Davidson, Neil (Canadian Press). “Neglected as a Child, Curtis Joseph Was Driven to Succeed in       the NHL Nets.” Cbc.ca/sports/hockey/curtisjoseph. (13 August 2025): N.p.

Nelson, Dustin. “Hall of Fame Debates: Curtis Joseph.” Thehockeywriters.com (13 November            2017): N.p.

Wharnsby, Tim. “Cujo’s Kindness on Display at Children’s Hospital.” Toronto Globe and Mail. (11  November 2008): N.p.  theglobeandmail.com/sports/cujos-kindness-on-display-at-              childrens-hospital/article664810