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In his darkest hour, Steve Mason thought about getting out of the game — for good.
It was the middle of the 2012-13 season and the Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender, four years removed from his sensational Calder Trophy-winning rookie season, had bottomed out as an NHLer. His numbers were poor (2.95 goals-against average, .899 save percentage) and his confidence was shot.
In a desperate move, he was dealt to the Philadelphia Flyers for goalender Michael Leighton and a third-round draft pick.
"If that trade didn't happen — that was the last year of my contract in Columbus and I was done," recalled Mason following on-ice testing on Day 1 of Winnipeg Jets training camp Friday morning.