Why the Flyers should resign Boucher over Leighton

by vanondubs on Jun 24, 2010 10:16 PM EDT

I went outside today to get the mail, and the UPS man drove up. 8 weeks after i ordered a new (retro) Brian Boucher jersey, it came. So i was talking to the UPS guy about the Flyers goalie situation and we mentioned Evgeni Nabokov and Jose Theodore, but I brought up the question of which goalie already on the Flyers roster will be resigned by the team.

It's too bad the Ray Emery experiment went raw. He was playing well until a rash of hip injuries put him on IR. After he got hurt, everybody thought "there goes our season." After we miraculously snagged Laviolette, he signed one of his former goalies- Leighton.

Leighton played well during the regular season, posting an impressive win loss stat until he got hurt. Boucher had to come in once again to play. He played decent for being a backup goalie.. I know i don't have to tell you the rest because just like me, you watched Boucher shut the Rangers out of the playoffs. During the playoffs, Boucher seemed like a different man. He seemed focused and hungry. I know what you're thinking- we were down 3 games to none against Boston until Leighton came in.

If it were up to me, i say resign Boucher because he showed Leighton most definatly didnt. He showed courage and valor stepping up to play big against the Devils' big-name offense. His heart was as big as his catcher. I would take a player who has less talent and more heart over one who has alot of talent but cracks under pressure.

Like i said before, Leighton played awesome during the season and during the Canadians, but fell apart like a dried out piece of bread in the Finals. It could be a toss up between the two, maybe they'll resign both, and a third goalie and let them fight it out in training camp.

Poll

Which goalie should the Flyers resign?

Brian Boucher

26 votes

Michael Leighton

49 votes

Ray Emery

12 votes

87 votes | Poll has closed

This item was written by a member of this community and is not necessarily endorsed by Broad Street Hockey.

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Comments

Boosh is still under contract for another year, and Emerys career is apparently over.

by philiafan14364 on Jun 24, 2010 10:46 PM EDT reply actions

Yeah I don’t want Emery back. I’d rather see Boosh and Lights duel over the starting postion.

"All hail the Flyers" Jim Jackson.

by darkside3744 on Jun 24, 2010 11:33 PM EDT reply actions

i didnt know

Boosh was still under contract. i thought we only got him for 1 year… i really would like to see Nabokov.. hes getting up there in age, but why not hes the best one out there i think. unless we would trade for someone.

by vanondubs on Jun 25, 2010 11:07 PM EDT reply actions

which goalie to sing

of course they played their butts off.All three played for 3rd and 4th teir money.emery 1.5 million,boucher 600k,and leighton 500k(which the flyers ate only what 80k of it?They are/were all playing their butts off for NEW BIG MONEY contracts.Thats what players do,However do i need to remind everyone of Bouchers 4-25 record.BOUCHER SUCKS.
LEIGHTON is the real deal. hes the Starting goalie next season making 2 million,plus incentives could pay him 4 million if acieved9you have to make it incentive laced or he will get lazy just like the others……

by rasnap1 on Jun 26, 2010 6:38 PM EDT reply actions

Ok…

A) Boucher is under contract for next year

B) He has a cap hit of $925k

C) Leighton had a $600k hit, of which the Flyers paid ~$183k

D) Boucher had a 9-18 record

E) Boucher’s save percentage was .899 to Emery’s .905

F) In the playoffs, Boucher won 60% of his starts, Leighton won 61.5%.

G) Leighton had a career year, his 6th in the NHL. You’re anointing him the “real deal” after seeing him play in 41 games. In one year (16.7% of his years in the NHL), Leighton played 35.0% of his career games.

Man-crushin' on Boucher since 1999
Broad Street Hockey - Makin' it look mean since 1967.

by Geoff Detweiler on Jun 27, 2010 10:31 PM EDT up reply actions

I’m surprised your response was this calm. I’ve been patiently waiting for you to respond to this, and I have to say, I’m a little disappointed. Outside of picturing your initial reaction to reading it, and you having to calm yourself down as you responded, this let me down a little haha.

by DLJr on Jun 28, 2010 4:14 PM EDT up reply actions