Confirmed: Flyers sign Michael Leighton to two-year, $3.1 million deal
by Travis Hughes on Jun 30, 2010 5:03 PM EDT
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217 comments
According to Rogers' Sportsnet, the Flyers have signed Michael Leighton to a two-year, $3.1 million deal. The Flyers have announced the deal. The move keeps him off of the free agent market tomorrow, and we should've expected this to come down at some point today.
It's a cap-friendly deal, as Leighton comes in with a cap hit of $1.55 million a season, but Leights gets a very nice raise from the 600k he made last season (and of which the Flyers paid about 30 cents).
Does this signing spell the end of the Flyers hopes of signing another goaltender in free agency? Not quite. The Flyers could still go after a free agent goalie to be their starter, buy out or trade Brian Boucher and have Leighton serve as their backup.
We're told the Flyers think the price for free agent goalies will be lower than reported and that they plan on going after somebody come Thursday afternoon. Whether that actually happens remains to be seen, but the news of Leighton's re-signing does not necessarily mean he'll be the starter in Pittsburgh on October 7.
It does, however, likely spell the end of Brian Boucher's days in Flyer orange.
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Please be a backup, Please be a backup, Please be a backup, Please be a backup……
"Can Geico really save you 15% or more on your car insurance? Is Mike Green really a forward in defenseman's clothing"
by FlyerGuy18 on Jun 30, 2010 3:42 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
the Phantoms just got a lot better.
Managing Editor - HockeyOutsiders.com
by HockeyOutsiders on Jun 30, 2010 4:34 PM EDT up reply actions
The Flyers really shouldn’t send Boucher to the Phantoms (assuming he would clear waivers) unless Backlund is in the NHL. They need to be able to give Bobrovsky (and to a lesser extent, Riopel) all the experience he can get.
does anyone sense a buyout coming?
by historywillbemade on Jun 30, 2010 4:38 PM EDT up reply actions
A buyout still counts against the cap though.
by PursuitOfLappyness on Jun 30, 2010 8:28 PM EDT up reply actions
I wasn’t talking about Boucher, I was talking about Leighton, when he gets put on waivers in december…haha
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by HockeyOutsiders on Jun 30, 2010 4:40 PM EDT up reply actions
Congrats on winning NHL 2K10! haha
"Can Geico really save you 15% or more on your car insurance? Is Mike Green really a forward in defenseman's clothing"
Do you have a wii?
bread. butter. cheese. VICTORY!
by Prometheus74 on Jun 30, 2010 3:48 PM EDT up reply actions
We still do.
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by Travis Hughes on Jun 30, 2010 3:50 PM EDT up reply actions
True. All depends on his negotiations with the Habs. I still can’t believe they got rid of Halak.
by michellemtsu on Jun 30, 2010 3:53 PM EDT up reply actions
Now you believe them?
They’ve chanted the “Carey Price is our man” mantra for a long time. It’s that Hab Kool-Aid (" my favorite flavor, cherry red").
You're living in a parallel universe. Do not attempt angle parking.
January 11, 1976
by TopShelfTony on Jun 30, 2010 3:59 PM EDT up reply actions
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Over under on how many the Pens will hang up on Leighton (if he starts)
4
Preaching the Inglewood Jack
by CoburnsCuddleBuddy on Jun 30, 2010 3:51 PM EDT reply actions
I’ll take the under on that one and gladly take all the harrassment that will be deserved if he gives up more.
"Game 7's are tough... It's a game that's made for men and our guys proved to be men today." -Laviolette
by PatterPoet95 on Jun 30, 2010 4:24 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Love it… Keeps him off the free agent market… LOL.
Yeah, the whole league thinks he’s AHL at best… they’re pining for him.
If we had delayed this by a month, we could’ve picked him up for 1 million a year. Once he understood that he’s not getting offers from anywhere else, I doubt he would be asking in excess of a million.
by PursuitOfLappyness on Jun 30, 2010 8:30 PM EDT up reply actions
So...
Is Geoff going to move to whatever city Boosh is traded to, or are they going to try the long distance thing?
Ellis. Mason. Bernier.
Please, Flyers. Re-signing Michael Leighton can be forgiven by getting just one of the above 3.
Chris Pronger stole my last signature.
$3.1!?!?!?!???
thats $1.55 mill a year. Emery was only $1 Mill last season. he burned us. No way we pay him $1.55 and play him backup, especially with Boosh, who is just as good, is only making $900k.
Pilgrim: Be gone pest, and give me the Bird
Yakko: We'd love to but the FOX censors wouldn't allow it
Let the whining begin
I have a fond spot for Boosh, but based on last season in its entirety, Leighton is a better backup option than Boosh.
Sad to see that Brindamour is finally hanging em up — a true warrior and I think a prototype player in the modern era, who elevated the process of off season training, and showed the results that type of work ethic and commitment can produce. A shame he couldn’t have won his cup in Philly, but it certainly made Carolina’s cup win personally sweet to see Rod hoist it.
Can we get a Starter B option?
I wouldn’t mind seeing him split time with Ellis/Mason/Bernier to start off the year and to see if he is for real or not…
"Chris Pronger sneaked in the back door...banged it home."
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Bernier
i doubt hes available now, after the draft. He could be, or Quick, be very available at next years draft, or at the deadline (thats depending where LA is in the standing or are injured and need a forward/defender)
Pilgrim: Be gone pest, and give me the Bird
Yakko: We'd love to but the FOX censors wouldn't allow it
Agreed.
You're living in a parallel universe. Do not attempt angle parking.
January 11, 1976
by TopShelfTony on Jun 30, 2010 4:12 PM EDT up reply actions
That would be great
EXACTLY. That way if one or the other ‘questionable’ goalie surges, you can start them more. If they both play well, great. If they both shit the bed, well, there’s only a 25% chance of that outcome, and given the approximately $4mil extra (difference between this contract and Nabby’s) the Flyers have to spend on that other goalie, a D-man and/or RW … I like it.
Bob McKenzie says if the Flyers strike out on Turco & Nabokov , Biron or Niittymaki could be back to the fold
If that happens:
"Can Geico really save you 15% or more on your car insurance? Is Mike Green really a forward in defenseman's clothing"
I would welcome Nitty back with open arms
Pilgrim: Be gone pest, and give me the Bird
Yakko: We'd love to but the FOX censors wouldn't allow it
46 starts last year…I think the surgery in 2008 worked.
How many times do we play Atlanta next year?
Honor is no substitute for victory.
49 games on a team who plays two goalies
21 wins on a crappy team
909 save % with a 2.87 goals against
I’d take that
Pilgrim: Be gone pest, and give me the Bird
Yakko: We'd love to but the FOX censors wouldn't allow it
I was just wondering if re-signing Leighton was insurance in case getting someone else falls through…
not for that much though
Pilgrim: Be gone pest, and give me the Bird
Yakko: We'd love to but the FOX censors wouldn't allow it
$1.55 isnt that much for a guy that was just goaltending in the finals. i think its just an insurance move
your right
but 1.55 is a lot for a backup. If he can, mercilessly, become even an average starter, thats all we should need.
Pilgrim: Be gone pest, and give me the Bird
Yakko: We'd love to but the FOX censors wouldn't allow it
I hope it’s an insurance plan. Maybe Homer is playing it safe after negotiations went south with Turco and Nabby, making sure he has someone who might start and then hoping the price for one of those guys comes down after the market bottoms out and no one signs them for what they want
by historywillbemade on Jun 30, 2010 4:23 PM EDT up reply actions
Or possibly
Homer got his Halloween candy stolen from a well paid goalie as a kid or beaten up by one, because he dose not want them around his place of work.
bread. butter. cheese. VICTORY!
by Prometheus74 on Jun 30, 2010 4:29 PM EDT up reply actions
Or keep us afloat until the March trade deadline
bread. butter. cheese. VICTORY!
by Prometheus74 on Jun 30, 2010 4:21 PM EDT up reply actions
Random, but...
I just have to say how much I love those orange jerseys. At first, I wasn’t sold on account of the white name plate. But, damn, they are sharp. That’s a great pic.
This.
And this coming season they will have the matching Winter Classic jerseys as their permanent road uniforms. Both are equally awesome.
Chris Pronger stole my last signature.
especially without the oversized brigstone billboard patch.
bread. butter. cheese. VICTORY!
by Prometheus74 on Jun 30, 2010 4:26 PM EDT up reply actions
I can live with this if he’s a backup.
Now that I’m calmer, this makes sense. Leighton is a backup but at least he got some deep playoff experience this year. Should something happen to Future Flyers Starter Evdanty Nabellico (any one of Evgeni Nabokov, Dan Ellis, or Marty Turco) in the playoffs, Leights has the experience to play under that pressure.
Will he win? No. But at least he’ll be able to handle the pressure.
Do you see what happens when you find a stranger in the Alps?
by mikefive on Jun 30, 2010 4:30 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
I think Mariod’s head just exploded.
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by HockeyOutsiders on Jun 30, 2010 4:32 PM EDT up reply actions 5 recs
Genius, and 100% true. Rec'd
"Chris Pronger sneaked in the back door...banged it home."
Flyers Television Play-by-Play Man: Jim Jackson
I think mine just did too.
"In fact, it is probably safe to say, the statement "I am a hockey fan" is the same as "I hate gary bettman."- bfrank27
by Mike B on D on Jun 30, 2010 11:28 PM EDT up reply actions
Will he win? No. But at least he’ll be able to handle the pressure.
This made me laugh.
by PursuitOfLappyness on Jun 30, 2010 8:33 PM EDT up reply actions
Welcome Mr. Micheal Leighton to the hotseat that is the Philadelphia Flyers starting goalie (I know possible) position. Please don’t get too comfortable because as you can see from history, since 1987, nobody has lasted long in this role. In addition, you have now gone from a man with no expectations on him to a man that is being paid to carry this franchise to a cup. No longer will you be afforded the excuse of being a waiver wire pickup being paid in peanuts and beer. This is meant to say, that you better work on your rebound control, going down way too early or getting beat short side from an impossible angle.
Congratulations and good luck…I have a feeling your going to need it.
Managing Editor - HockeyOutsiders.com
by HockeyOutsiders on Jun 30, 2010 4:31 PM EDT reply actions
I understand that Leighton doesn’t get a lot of love here (believe me I understand) but I don’t understand how this deal is horrible. Yes, it’s a little more than they payed Emery BUT Emery had injury problems and hadn’t played in the NHL the year before. Also, though it isn’t fair, there is something to be said for Emery’s previous off ice issues. This generally looks like a team friendly deal that keeps most of the Flyers options still open. Then again I like Leighton.
"Game 7's are tough... It's a game that's made for men and our guys proved to be men today." -Laviolette
by PatterPoet95 on Jun 30, 2010 4:32 PM EDT via mobile reply actions 2 recs
I’m perfectly fine with this deal.
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by Travis Hughes on Jun 30, 2010 4:37 PM EDT up reply actions
well we don’t have tons of options so I think if we can tighten up a bit on D…I can live with this. I mean, what if his confidence grows under the Flyers? Could be a good deal for us.
Philadelphia Flyers/Columbus Blue Jackets...don't ask me how.
If it was up to me, I'd free Charles Manson... -MRH
by PhillyPhan85 on Jun 30, 2010 8:52 PM EDT up reply actions
there’s nothing outrageous about this deal. It’s what Leights should be paid and is short term deal but I really hope that they aren’t settling for Leights as they can get someone better for a reasonable price. The market is totally in the Flyers favor for goalies as there a ton and not a lot of competition from other teams looking. I just am holding out hope that this isn’t the “solution” or that maybe just maybe Homer will go all out and get some dmen and a RW
by historywillbemade on Jun 30, 2010 4:38 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
What you say and think the market is or should be and what the market actually is can be to different things. The Flyers talked to Nabokov and Turco I think they know the market. Maybe resigning Leighton means we have the upper hand in negoiating with the other guys. If the Stanley Cup Finals Goalie signed for 1.55 million what balls does Turco have to have to demand more than 3 million. Big balls! Maybe explaining why his five hole tends to be so wide at times.
look at the market. How many teams are looking for starters? 3-5? How many of those teams have cap space? Who is going to pay more than $5 mill/ yr for a goalies around 35 years old? Nabby’s and Turco’s expectations are in for a big shock come tmrw. Mason and Ellis are probably the first goalies off the market tmrw. San Jose isn’t taking Nabby back and seems like they might sign Turco so where does that leave Nabby to play? Philly or KHL for him
by historywillbemade on Jun 30, 2010 5:30 PM EDT up reply actions
I like Leighton just fine. Is he a 600k improvement over Boosh as (hopefully) a 1B? Based on last season, probably.
Yeah, I think we still need to wait a bit to see what it all looks like after the dust settles, but on face value this is a fair deal and probably what I would’ve given Leights. Lets hope that homer either picks up a bigger name goalie a little later in the process or he spends a lot elsewhere to coverup for the gaping hole in net
by historywillbemade on Jun 30, 2010 4:52 PM EDT up reply actions
Seems like an okay deal. My only hope is that they continue to pursue a starting keeper. I’m not sold that Leighton is the guy; the be all, end all.
I really am hoping Homer is as smart as I think he is and not just cowardering out b/c Nabby and Turco scared him with their demands. I think that he might be trying to still make a play for those guys but will wait it out until their price comes down to a reasonable amount and then sign one of them, and if that doesn’t work out at least he has something of a known quality in Leights and can maybe find something that complements him in the bargain bin. I am really hoping that Nabby/Mason/Ellis don’t sign somewhere else for a cap friendly price that makes Homer look like an idiot.
by historywillbemade on Jun 30, 2010 4:46 PM EDT up reply actions
No need to panic
This just gives the Flyers options. They don’t have to sign somebody right away tomorrow. Turco and Nabby’s prices will definitely come down (especially Nabby’s). Besides, don’t discount Backlund making a run at Boosh and Leights. I am pretty sure that this won’t be the last goalie signed by the Flyers this off-season.
i agree i really like this deal. its fair money for someone who can start or backup next year if we cant sign the goalie we want. we still have tons of options
Yeah I agree. It’s a smart insurance policy as long as Homer plugs other holes or eventually gets his guy (Nabby)
by historywillbemade on Jun 30, 2010 4:56 PM EDT up reply actions
Yep.
Still leaves full flexibility to sign either a top-flight goalie (although then Boosh goes through waivers) or sign a good #4-5 defenseman to negate the need for a superstar goalie.
And heck, maybe Lights-Out-Leighton shines all next season and makes Homer look like the guy who wrote the Odyssey. :)
I can’t even think clearly enough beyond the rage to write something constructive.
New Zealand's 4th best Philadelphia Flyers fan
by ToddtheFox on Jun 30, 2010 4:58 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
It does, however, likely spell the end of Brian Boucher’s days in Flyer orange.
I’d check up to make sure that Geoff is going to be ok, his lover is probably going to leave him.
You ain't a has-been, if you never was.
I voted starter because I would rather spend the money on a d-man and a replacement for Asham. If that last goal wasn’t so bad I think this would of happened sooner and everybody wouldn’t be as pissed off about him being re-signed.
You know what I wanted? A Game 7!! At least!
Ahh…that’s not fair. I’m just speakin’ out of hurt.
Mancrushin' on Geoff since April 20
"Good night. Good hockey."
by KreiderDesigns on Jun 30, 2010 5:13 PM EDT up reply actions
Surprisingly
I agree with this… But I’m still a Leighton fan. I believe he will do well and I hope he proves everyone some people wrong
"Game 7's are tough... It's a game that's made for men and our guys proved to be men today." -Laviolette
by PatterPoet95 on Jun 30, 2010 6:11 PM EDT up reply actions
Not surprised at all…I feel the exact same way. Still I feel like we’ve (the Flyers fans and Leights) have gotten to know each other well enough that we can exchange some good natured ribbing.
Mancrushin' on Geoff since April 20
"Good night. Good hockey."
by KreiderDesigns on Jun 30, 2010 6:42 PM EDT up reply actions
I'm not the praying type
But I will say more than a few prayers that all Leighton gets is “good natured ribbing.”
"Game 7's are tough... It's a game that's made for men and our guys proved to be men today." -Laviolette
by PatterPoet95 on Jun 30, 2010 6:46 PM EDT up reply actions
Get ready Leighton you are about to find out just how passionate this fans are.
"Game 7's are tough... It's a game that's made for men and our guys proved to be men today." -Laviolette
by PatterPoet95 on Jun 30, 2010 6:17 PM EDT up reply actions
Just show fans the game 6 wtf ot-gw and you’ll see passion real fast. I doubt Leights can ever erase the image of that goal from fan’s minds
by historywillbemade on Jun 30, 2010 6:19 PM EDT up reply actions
That was the uh, not so subtle point I was trying to make. Sans my grammatical screw up.
"Game 7's are tough... It's a game that's made for men and our guys proved to be men today." -Laviolette
by PatterPoet95 on Jun 30, 2010 6:22 PM EDT up reply actions
Nor his own mind, and I hope that’s true…in a way. That is to say I hope it fuels him and does not destroy him. I doubt very much it will eat him up.
Mancrushin' on Geoff since April 20
"Good night. Good hockey."
by KreiderDesigns on Jun 30, 2010 6:43 PM EDT up reply actions
http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/frequentflyers/Report_Leighton_signs_2-year_deal.html
Seravalli seems to think that $9.1 million under the cap, with two goalies in the fold (not to mention Backlund) leaves the Flyers with enough to sign two forwards and two defensemen. Assuming that offers are made to Coburn, Powe, and Carcillo (Coburn and Powe getting real ones, and Carcillo getting a qualifier) they’ll still have at least $4 million to play with – easily enough to sign a good defenseman like Volchenkov (or Michalek, and leave some wiggle room). I think this deal makes a LOT of sense – look at it this way: Holmgren already spoke with the top two FA goalies out there, and if he wasn’t feeling confident in signing them, as well as not feeling confident with a goalie tandem of Boosh and Backlund, and then with Ellis moving up to Hell (aka Montreal) … I think this move is a definitely safe and well-advised move.
For proof - check this out, and the $2million leftover ...
AUTO-GENERATED CAPGEEK.COM LINES
FORWARDS
Simon Gagne ($5.250m) / Mike Richards ($5.750m) / * Daniel Carcillo ($0.893m)
Scott Hartnell ($4.200m) / Daniel Briere ($6.500m) / Ville Leino ($0.800m)
James Van Riemsdyk ($1.654m) / Jeff Carter ($5.000m) / Claude Giroux ($0.822m)
Ian Laperriere ($1.167m) / Blair Betts ($0.700m) / * Darroll Powe ($0.750m)
Riley Cote ($0.550m)
DEFENSEMEN
Matt Carle ($3.438m) / Chris Pronger ($4.921m)
Kimmo Timonen ($6.333m) / * Zybnek Michalek ($2.800m)
- Braydon Coburn ($2.300m) / Oskars Bartulis ($0.600m)
- Danny Syvret ($0.950m)
GOALTENDERS
Michael Leighton ($1.550m) / Brian Boucher ($0.925m)
CAPGEEK.COM TOTALS
(these totals are compiled using the bonus cushion)
ROSTER: 22; CAP: $59.4m; PAYROLL: $57.853m; CAP ROOM: $2.185m BONUSES: $0.637m
OR, with no room whatsoever .... but no one would ever get any shots on goal ...
2010-11 PHILADELPHIA FLYERS
CAPGEEK.COM CAP CALCULATOR
FORWARDS
Simon Gagne ($5.250m) / Mike Richards ($5.750m) / * Daniel Carcillo ($0.893m)
Scott Hartnell ($4.200m) / Daniel Briere ($6.500m) / Ville Leino ($0.800m)
James Van Riemsdyk ($1.654m) / Jeff Carter ($5.000m) / Claude Giroux ($0.822m)
Ian Laperriere ($1.167m) / Blair Betts ($0.700m) / * Darroll Powe ($0.750m)
Riley Cote ($0.550m)
DEFENSEMEN
Matt Carle ($3.438m) / Chris Pronger ($4.921m)
Kimmo Timonen ($6.333m) / * Zybnek Michalek ($2.500m)
- Jordan Leopold ($2.500m) / * Braydon Coburn ($1.600m)
Oskars Bartulis ($0.600m)
GOALTENDERS - Dan Ellis ($2.200m) / Michael Leighton ($1.550m)
CAPGEEK.COM TOTALS
(these totals are compiled using the bonus cushion)
ROSTER: 22; CAP:$59.4m; PAYROLL: $59.678m; CAP ROOM: $0.360m BONUSES: $0.637m
…And Hawerchuk still thinks the Flyers massively overpaid (relatively; of course in a vacuum the amount isn’t that much).
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If Leights is supposed to be a back-up then the Flyers overpaid. To me, this move makes no sense. We had so much leverage come July 1st
New Zealand's 4th best Philadelphia Flyers fan
i understand we had leverage but lets be real here, how much lower did you think Leighton’s agent was going to accept coming off a trip to the Finals
To be a backup? Less than $1 million. I don’t think other GMs would exactly be waiting anxiously to July 1st to sign him
New Zealand's 4th best Philadelphia Flyers fan
i think its kind of a “just in case” kind of deal. As a backup its a bit much (like .4 mill at most) assuming we sign another goalie, but if we dont then we just paid very little for a starter that helped us reach the finals last year
Just in case of what? We don’t sign a goalie in free agency? As much as I warmed to Leights, we could have waited and got him cheaper
New Zealand's 4th best Philadelphia Flyers fan
I agree it’s a good “just in case” deal and we could have gotten him cheaper but he probably got what he earned.
by historywillbemade on Jun 30, 2010 5:55 PM EDT up reply actions
yeah, in case we dont sign another goalie. I don’t understand how much cheaper you wanted for this guy, and maybe Leighton was getting some looks from other teams.
..but if Homer doesn’t get another goalie than Leights is a starter or splitting.
by historywillbemade on Jun 30, 2010 5:57 PM EDT up reply actions
There were more available starting goalies than places for the available goalies to be starters. Homer would’ve got somebody
by PursuitOfLappyness on Jun 30, 2010 8:38 PM EDT up reply actions
which is what? bouch had proved nothing going into last year and got roughly a mil. And as much as you say hes a backup goalie, he started a lot of games last year and played in the finals, so i dont think he and his agent see Leighton as a backup. I dont feel comfortable with a whole season of him as our starter (unless we get some D help) but i dont mind giving the guy a little bit more than backup money
Boosh was a career backup. Leighton is a career AHL starter. One season, don’t be sold on one (really half) season. Of course I’ll be overjoyed if Leighton really is now magically a legitimate starter and he wins us lots of games, I just think Homer jumped the gun and has cost us $1.5 million in cap space.
New Zealand's 4th best Philadelphia Flyers fan
so no compensation for playing hero to our season (and postseason)? no raise? good luck getting him to sign that.
we’re gonna have to agree to disagree on this one
Signing him would be compensation enough.
That’s fine
New Zealand's 4th best Philadelphia Flyers fan
Did Leighton stand on his head and win one game in the postseason for us? Remember Fleury in Game 4 against Pittsburgh in the 09 playoffs? That was a steal. Leighton didn’t put in one performance to rival that.
by PursuitOfLappyness on Jun 30, 2010 8:39 PM EDT up reply actions
No love for game 2 against Montreal? Just a little credit where it’s due…
"Game 7's are tough... It's a game that's made for men and our guys proved to be men today." -Laviolette
by PatterPoet95 on Jul 1, 2010 9:47 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Agreed. He did win us that one. Montreal played well in the first two periods of that game;I wasn’t confident we woud win it until we got the third goal in the third period. And, Leighton played well all game.
Unlike game 4 of that series, where the defense was really responsible for the shutout, Leighton was the reason we won game 2.
#1 Flyers fan in England (originally from Southeastern PA)
by Orange and Black Forever on Jul 1, 2010 9:54 AM EDT up reply actions
i agree with Hawerchuk, we overpaid by at least 500K.
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by HockeyOutsiders on Jun 30, 2010 6:10 PM EDT up reply actions
Todd’s very good fanpost a few days ago summarized the situation in my view. While I am sort of neutral about signing Leighton, it is not a very good idea to sign Leighton before July 1 unless we see Nabokov go to KHL and Ellis sign for 2.5 or something.
I’m pretty sure Biron isn’t coming back. Nitty is not an upgrade. I don’t want Turco or Theo.
I also disagree with most on here in that I particularly dislike this deal before July 1 if he is being signed as a backup. Bad idea for 30 starts. Boosh would have done nearly as well and cheaper. Hawerchuk is correct if we are getting someone else to be the starter.
Two of the best nights of my life.,,,October 21, 1980 and October 29, 2008.
One of the weirdest...October 1, 1970. I kept part of one of the seats.
I was in college in Boston in 1974 and when Clarke scored the OT goal in game 2 I knew that the Flyers would win the Cup since they would never lose at home.
..but at this point we don’t know if we definitely are getting some one else as a starter. I know that the market is favorable to getting someone to agree to cap friendly terms, but Homer already talked to Turco and Nabby so he might know something we don’t know
by historywillbemade on Jun 30, 2010 6:30 PM EDT up reply actions
Supply is far greater than demand for goalies this off-season
New Zealand's 4th best Philadelphia Flyers fan
I agree it is, which is why I am a little worried why they brought Leights back so soon. I thought they should try to get other goalies and then if that didn’t work bring Leights back. Maybe it’s a sign of loyalty and respect for what he did for the team last year or that the Flyers are kind of scared of the unknown quantities such as Mason, Ellis (can they be a starters?) or Theo, Turco, and Nabby (too old? chokers?)
by historywillbemade on Jun 30, 2010 6:39 PM EDT up reply actions
The cap isn't in our favor for Leighton as backup
See penguinsfan post above with capgeek stats. If you think Leighton is a backup you are forced into multiple other choices:
(1) A weaker D-man than I’d prefer in a D man seller’s market
(2) Buh bye Boosh (this is really lousy and feels unnecessary)
(3) A weirdly lopsided contract for Nabokov.
Please don’t tell me we are getting Turco or Theo, which is the only way you don’t get all 3 of the above. And Mason is just not that much better than Leighton, sorry. (I watched him for multiple years). Ellis is likely going elsewhere and/or getting more $$.
Two of the best nights of my life.,,,October 21, 1980 and October 29, 2008.
One of the weirdest...October 1, 1970. I kept part of one of the seats.
I was in college in Boston in 1974 and when Clarke scored the OT goal in game 2 I knew that the Flyers would win the Cup since they would never lose at home.
Mason has had a few decent seasons on a growing Blues team. Why do you think he’s no good?
New Zealand's 4th best Philadelphia Flyers fan
From what I understand, Tampa is high on Mason and would give him the starter’s spot and that leaves plenty of goalies on the Market with just San Jose, Atlanta, (and perhaps Philly) still looking for starters. IMHO, it seems that Philly is the best fit for Nabby, but he would have to lower his price to fit our cap.
by historywillbemade on Jun 30, 2010 6:55 PM EDT up reply actions
I watched him for several years (not as much with St Louis, but they still play Nashville a lot). Inconsistent.
Two of the best nights of my life.,,,October 21, 1980 and October 29, 2008.
One of the weirdest...October 1, 1970. I kept part of one of the seats.
I was in college in Boston in 1974 and when Clarke scored the OT goal in game 2 I knew that the Flyers would win the Cup since they would never lose at home.
This is great news (If Leighton is the started). After one year with Nabokov or Turco we would be livid Homer broke the bank on an aging goaltender. Leighton should be the starter and then we can spend the money otherwise spent on Nabokov/Turco to re-up Coburn, sign a quality 5th D-man, Mike Mottau perhaps, and a winger, hopefully Colby Armstrong. With that we will have an improved team AND for once we should have some cap space to make some moves at the trade deadline if needed.
After 2 years with Nabakov we’d be done with him and his contract and looking for a prospect to step up in his place.
Leighton as the starter leaves us where we were. NOT winning a Stanley Cup.
"In fact, it is probably safe to say, the statement "I am a hockey fan" is the same as "I hate gary bettman."- bfrank27
by Mike B on D on Jun 30, 2010 11:35 PM EDT up reply actions
I don’t see why we wouldn’t just offer Nabokov the front-loaded 7 year under-35 deal, tell him he’s got 2 years to go get his name written on the cup and silence all those doubters that label him a choker, and then let one of our 8 or so goalie prospects make the transition after two years.
by PursuitOfLappyness on Jul 1, 2010 2:41 AM EDT up reply actions
I know Philly fans are suppose to be tough...
but lets show a little loyalty and compassion to Leighton. He has done everything we could ask from a guy that we picked up from waivers. He saved our season and helped us reach the finals. Although he is not the “sure thing” starter that we have been searching for, i dont understand how any fan can rip him or the organization for signing him to two years for 1.55 mil. Its a cheap deal that leaves us with A LOT of options still. I like the display of loyalty by the Flyers
by Flyers67 on Jun 30, 2010 5:20 PM EDT reply actions 2 recs
I don’t think anyone here has a major problem with the deal itself or Leights deserving a contract. It’s just a matter of having other better options to fill a long term hole that this organization has had. No one here thinks Leights is the solution to our goaltending woes (as exemplified by his poor play in the finals and that ugly goal) and we all desperately want that solution. There’s nothing wrong with this deal as long as it compliments other deals in the upcoming days.
by historywillbemade on Jun 30, 2010 5:24 PM EDT up reply actions
No
Some people have a problem with the deal… see the thread above.
"Game 7's are tough... It's a game that's made for men and our guys proved to be men today." -Laviolette
by PatterPoet95 on Jun 30, 2010 6:13 PM EDT up reply actions
I like Michael a lot as a person. I’m really happy for him. The issue is that you won’t be able use the “waiver wire” card anymore. Leighton has signed a legitimate, multi-year, multi-million dollar NHL deal. With that will come legitimate expectations well beyond “ehh, he’s just a guy we picked off waivers, so don’t pick on him too much.” The problem is and will be figuring out what those expectations are.
regardless of what we paid, the expectations are now stanley cup or bust, it has to be, this franchise just got there. I don’t think anyone could argue that it’s less than that.
Managing Editor - HockeyOutsiders.com
by HockeyOutsiders on Jun 30, 2010 6:08 PM EDT up reply actions
agreed but i dont think its impossible to get there again with Leighton as our goalie and more help at D
We might be able to get there but can we win with Leights? I think that the finals this season proved that it’s not going to happen. Flyers had a great chance to win the cup this season. The Flyers lost 3 one goal games in the finals on questionable goals from Leights/ Boosh. They were one simple save away from game 7.
by historywillbemade on Jun 30, 2010 6:12 PM EDT up reply actions
So don’t judge him by one year but judge him by one series?
"Game 7's are tough... It's a game that's made for men and our guys proved to be men today." -Laviolette
by PatterPoet95 on Jun 30, 2010 6:14 PM EDT up reply actions
Is it so unfathomable that Leighton and the Flyers got hot defensively and drew relatively easy defensive matchups for three rounds of the playoffs?
In other words, there is a reason Leighton was available on waivers.
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by red army line on Jul 1, 2010 5:06 AM EDT up reply actions
No, that is not unfathomable in the least. Leighton may have been simply a one hit wonder (and to my mind a 2 year 3 mil contract is not a huge risk if he is) BUT the hyperbolic language against Leighton seems to be a little bit staggering. What I basically am seeing is something like:
“You can’t judge Leighton by his playoff performance or his 27 starts in the regular season, it’s just too small a sample size…”
Immediately followed by:
“Did you see Leighton’s performance in the SCF?! Or those ‘soft goals’ he gave up in games 1 and 6?! You can’t tell me he is going to be a starter in the NHL…”
So which is it?
"Game 7's are tough... It's a game that's made for men and our guys proved to be men today." -Laviolette
by PatterPoet95 on Jul 1, 2010 9:51 AM EDT up reply actions 2 recs
it's definitely contradictory
i think people are picking the SCF as an indicator of his future performance because it fit more in line with what one would expect given his career, as opposed to his stellar regular season and playoffs leading up to the SCF, where we played relatively weaker offensive teams (in the playoffs) and etc etc etc.
Personally, I like the deal. I’m fine devoting $3.5m to goaltending this year, I think we can still sign a goalie @$2m and fill our other needs.
It seems like you’re arguing taking a goalie’s performance over several years and saying that when he performs like it it’s not indicative of the goalie he is.
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матовая Клими, Михал нуивирт ваш папа теперь
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by red army line on Jul 1, 2010 1:04 PM EDT up reply actions
rec'd well-argued
Of course with a question framed in this way you probably can expect either agreement (Alon) or and example of “A man he hears what he wants to hear and disregards the rest.”.
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January 11, 1976
by TopShelfTony on Jul 1, 2010 10:51 AM EDT up reply actions
i assume you watched the same finals that I did, where goaltending was almost singularly at fault in Chicago skating on our ice with the cup.
I doubt a better 3rd pairing really would have made a bigger difference than actually having a legitimate goaltender in net.
I don’t think the powerhouse teams out West are getting weaker and next season, I imagine that we won’t have the luxury of having the Montreal’s of the world take out the 2 big offenses in the East.
Managing Editor - HockeyOutsiders.com
by HockeyOutsiders on Jun 30, 2010 6:13 PM EDT up reply actions
So uh all those non-singular issues you’re okay with? You know have 4 guys play defense for 60 minutes for 23 straight games (woops you mentioned that already), lack of production from the first line in the finals, bad/lazy penalties early in games 5 and 6 of the finals, all no big deal…
"Game 7's are tough... It's a game that's made for men and our guys proved to be men today." -Laviolette
by PatterPoet95 on Jun 30, 2010 6:45 PM EDT up reply actions
First line featured Carter at unnatural position and two injured players going against a good Chicago d. Yes they deserve some blame but when you lose three 1 goal games on shots that probably should have been saved then you have to point the finger at the goalies. We had all the momentum in the OT and seemed like it was only a matter of time before we put on past Niemi and then Leights lets up a goal that any nhl goalie should have stopped.
by historywillbemade on Jun 30, 2010 6:58 PM EDT up reply actions
I am so glad someone remembers these games. The goaltending was weak once it faced a legitimate offense. There would be a different tune being sung if we faced Washington or Pittsburgh instead the 3 anemic offenses of NJ, Boston and Montreal.
"In fact, it is probably safe to say, the statement "I am a hockey fan" is the same as "I hate gary bettman."- bfrank27
by Mike B on D on Jun 30, 2010 11:41 PM EDT up reply actions
I am so glad someone remembers these games. The goaltending was weak once it faced a legitimate offense. There would be a different tune being sung if we faced Washington or Pittsburgh instead the 3 anemic offenses of NJ, Boston and Montreal.
OK, this meme has been broadcast by many people on this list for weeks now, and it has to be examined more closely. It is less true and applicable than many people think it is.
What I’m talking about is the “we-only-got-so-far-in-the-playoffs-because-we-got-lucky-with-the-draw” meme. I’ve seen the constant trotting out of team offensive stats for NJ, BOS, and MON. The problem with those stats is that they were regular season stats, not postseason stats.
Not all teams play equally well or poorly in the postseason as they did in the regular season – examples would include every single team in the Eastern Conference except the Devils (and possibly the Senators). NJ was the one team who struggled on offense in both. WAS, PIT, and BUF played worse than they did in the regular season (PIT did OK in round one, but that round revealed that this year’s Fleury was not the same as the one of the last two seasons). MON, PHI, and BOS all played better than they did in the regular season (again, it’s difficult to gauge OTT in this analysis – they scored a lot of goals, but lost more games than they won in round one – so, they were a bit of a wash in the postseason – decent offense, poor defense. That’s about how they were in the regular season.)
We knocked out the Devils in 5 games because they didn’t step up their play in the postseason and we did. Boucher outplayed Brodeur. Enough said on that series.
“But BOS and MON’s offense were really anemic in the regular season.” Well, yes, in the regular season – not true in the posteason.
In the first 10 playoff games of their posteason, BOS scored 32 goals, leading them to a 6-game series win against Buffalo, and a 3-1 series lead on us. That’s not anemic offense. In MON’s first 14 games of their postseason, they scored 39 goals – less impressive than BOS’s run, but certainly not anemic. Both efforts knocked out the “awesome offenses” of WAS and PIT.
How did BOS do in their last 3 games against us? 4 goals. How did MON do in 5 games against us? 7 goals. What changed from game 5 of the BOS series onward? Better defense? Hell yes! That would be the main reason. BUT, something else happened early in the second period of game 5 that can’t be ignored. Leighton came in and did a wonderful job.
I’m not implying that Boucher couldn’t have done an equally marvelous job had he not been injured, but, truth be known, no one knows how he would have done. The defense also came alive after the 4th game against BOS. But, the bottom line is that the BOS and MON teams that we beat in the second and third rounds of the postseason were better than the versions of those teams that played in the regular season. We faced worthy opponents who earned and deserved to be where they got in the postseason…and we beat them when “superior” teams hadn’t.
We lost the SCF because Chicago was the better team, period. People only want to blame Leighton, but how many easy opportunities to score did we miss in the SCF? How many defensive breakdowns (yes, I’m talking to you, 3rd-line D-men) did we have? We won as a team; we lost as a team – that’s it.
Now, I’m not going to pretend that Leighton is some kind of “Goaltending Messiah” – he’s clearly not. But, he’s not the “Goaltending Anti-Christ” either. So, let’s let things develop as they will this off-season and hope for the best next year. We did well this year, and Homer’s going to make us even better (hopefully).
I’m looking forward to next year no matter what further moves the team makes this off-season.
#1 Flyers fan in England (originally from Southeastern PA)
by Orange and Black Forever on Jul 1, 2010 5:52 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
So all praise Michael Leighton? I’m sorry I don’t buy it.
Yes the defense stepped up amazingly. Boston and Montreal played teams that did not (for whatever reason) step up their game or played into their style.
No, Leighton was not solely responsible for the loss. That’s why we’re looking to improve the defense more. And perhaps a little better scoring on the wing to balance things out. But the goaltending was simply EXPOSED by the hawks when the other teams did not have the offensive talent to do so. No matter how they played they reverted to form. Like the goal tending did.
"In fact, it is probably safe to say, the statement "I am a hockey fan" is the same as "I hate gary bettman."- bfrank27
So all praise Michael Leighton? I’m sorry I don’t buy it
I clearly did NOT say that. I only said he wasn’t the only one to blame.
Our goaltending, our defense, and our offense collectively lost the SCF, not just Leighton.
And, I’m sorry – the BOS and MON teams we faced in the postseason were better than their versions in the regular season. They didn’t get as far as they did by accident – they earned it against very good teams.
BOS was great on offense, and much better than their regular season, during their first 10 games in the playoffs; the same goes for MON during their first 14. The reason why it dropped off is because they faced a very good defense and we got timely goaltending. Boucher gets full credit for high-quality goaltending in the first round; however, Leighton gets credit for that for rounds two and three.
We lost to Chicago because they were better on offense, slightly better on defense, and slightly better in goaltending – all three. Frankly, I think we exposed Niemi for being the very human goaltender that he was – the Blackhawks prevailed because they were just that slight little bit better on offense and defense.
And the “reverting to form” sounds like a bit of a rationalization to me as well. If that’s what really happened, MON should have reverted to form long before they ever got to us. But, in both series, they got better against both teams the longer each series went. If they were just a playoff mirage, they should have faded away long before they got to us. MON got to the conference final because they belonged there.
The Devils didn’t step up in the postseason, so we deservedly knocked them out right away. The Bruins and Canadiens earned their way to deeper playoff runs by improving over their regular season play, not just in goaltending, but on offense. Neither team was weak on offense in the postseason.
So, that what I was getting at. I apologize if you took my earlier post as a personal attack – it wasn’t. I have just been hearing that “luck of the draw” argument for weeks, and it’s just not correct.
#1 Flyers fan in England (originally from Southeastern PA)
by Orange and Black Forever on Jul 1, 2010 8:46 AM EDT up reply actions
But, for this season, who knows? Maybe we’ll get Ellis (?).
#1 Flyers fan in England (originally from Southeastern PA)
by Orange and Black Forever on Jul 1, 2010 9:03 AM EDT up reply actions
dude … Boston’s offense was down right anemic last year. They were dead last in offense if I recall. I would agree the Flyers did expose Niemi. Chichago just had one too many good weapons at their disposal. It was kinda luck of the draw in a way. They matched up too well vs Jersey, Boston it was easy to shut down their offense, Montreal was riding a hot goalie and a timely scorer.
I don’t want to belabor the point, I’ll (hopefully) close with this.
I do agree with luck-of-the-draw in getting NJ in the first round. Everyone here wanted that and we got it.
Again, Boston in the regular season was weak on offense; but, they stepped it up in the posteason. They scored 16 goals in the first four games against us (one being an empty-netter) – that’s not anemic. We didn’t shut down their offense until games 5 and 6, and did just well enough to withstand their 3 goals in game 7. We didn’t beat the regular-season Bruins; we beat an improved version of them.
The Canadiens did have a hot goaltender and actually a couple of timely scorers (Cammalleri and Gionta). But, the teams they beat weren’t chumps. MON also improved over their regular season – that’s why they got the the ECF in the first place. That was my point.
In short, I buy the “luck-of-the-draw” argument in the first round, but not beyond it. The stats (the postseason stats, mind you) are there for anyone to examine.
#1 Flyers fan in England (originally from Southeastern PA)
by Orange and Black Forever on Jul 1, 2010 9:26 AM EDT up reply actions
You have to
Play the teams you are matched up against. You can’t say definitively what would have happened if the Flyers/Leighton had played Washington, Pittsburgh, or Buffalo. And frankly, I am suspicious that anyone would give Leighton “more credit” if we had beaten any (or all three ) of those teams to go to the finals…
"Game 7's are tough... It's a game that's made for men and our guys proved to be men today." -Laviolette
by PatterPoet95 on Jul 1, 2010 9:54 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Agreed.
Actually, after seeing round 1 of the PIT/OTT series, and again during round 2 of PIT/MON, the prospect of playing the Pens this year didn’t bother me at all. They were exposed against Ottawa and exposed even more by Montreal.
The Fleury of ’08 and ’09 did not show up this year. I think we would have knocked PIT out, IMHO.
I have no feeling how we would have done against the other two – hard to say…
#1 Flyers fan in England (originally from Southeastern PA)
by Orange and Black Forever on Jul 1, 2010 10:02 AM EDT up reply actions
I agree, actually I think we would have had a fairly good chance at beating Washington as well. Timmo did an excellent job of shutting down Ovie a couple years back and I think it’s safe to say he would have been able to do it again (and if not Pronger would have just cross checked him in the face).
But again- no way to say definitively…
"Game 7's are tough... It's a game that's made for men and our guys proved to be men today." -Laviolette
by PatterPoet95 on Jul 1, 2010 10:09 AM EDT up reply actions
I thought
it was always Stanley Cup or bust. It always should be…
"Game 7's are tough... It's a game that's made for men and our guys proved to be men today." -Laviolette
by PatterPoet95 on Jun 30, 2010 6:14 PM EDT up reply actions
then Leights should not be the starter.
by historywillbemade on Jun 30, 2010 6:14 PM EDT up reply actions
But Leights should not have gotten $1.5 before July 1 to be the backup.
I wanted Leights to be rewarded with a new contract. As a backup somewhere else.
Or here as a starter.
Getting someone else now also goes against what I think the Flyers see—-that in 2011-12, Backlund or Bobrovsky will be the starter.
Two of the best nights of my life.,,,October 21, 1980 and October 29, 2008.
One of the weirdest...October 1, 1970. I kept part of one of the seats.
I was in college in Boston in 1974 and when Clarke scored the OT goal in game 2 I knew that the Flyers would win the Cup since they would never lose at home.
or Erickson. Maybe Leights new contract makes sense if he is getting signed as a 1b goalie that will have to compete with someone like Mason or Ellis. Guys that aren’t clear cut starters and would end up splitting time with Leights with Leights having the potential to earn 1a status
by historywillbemade on Jun 30, 2010 6:35 PM EDT up reply actions
That’s all I could think. Maybe they want Leighton to have ~30 starts and have Mason/Ellis do the rest.
New Zealand's 4th best Philadelphia Flyers fan
maybe. The problem is that Lavvy seems like the kind of coach who doesn’t like to use backups regularly and continues to ride goalies.
by historywillbemade on Jun 30, 2010 7:16 PM EDT up reply actions
I think the goalies were being ridden pretty hard even before Lavvy came?
New Zealand's 4th best Philadelphia Flyers fan
Maybe. Lavvy seemed like we just kept starting one guy or another for extended periods of time with no nights off.
by historywillbemade on Jun 30, 2010 7:22 PM EDT up reply actions
I find it funny
That there appears to be no need to show compassion or loyalty to Boosh. After 2000, our expectations were too high, and so we were disappointed in him. Now after he outdueled Lunqvist in game 82, then took us through New Jersey and half of Boston, we’re just going to dump him.
What makes Leighton so precious and Boosh so expendable?
by PursuitOfLappyness on Jun 30, 2010 8:46 PM EDT up reply actions 4 recs
This.
Exactly this.
Man-crushin' on Boucher since 1999
Broad Street Hockey - Makin' it look mean since 1967.
by Geoff Detweiler on Jun 30, 2010 8:53 PM EDT up reply actions
Biased.
But I whole-heartedly agree. It’s amazing what a good playoff run can get you. Halak’s agent is smiling
New Zealand's 4th best Philadelphia Flyers fan
haha, true. But at least I have a good reason for my bias – those eyes. People’s fascination with Leighton is just so incomprehensible.
Man-crushin' on Boucher since 1999
Broad Street Hockey - Makin' it look mean since 1967.
by Geoff Detweiler on Jun 30, 2010 10:38 PM EDT up reply actions
People are fascinated by how weak a goal can actually be.
"In fact, it is probably safe to say, the statement "I am a hockey fan" is the same as "I hate gary bettman."- bfrank27
by Mike B on D on Jun 30, 2010 11:43 PM EDT up reply actions
It’s all about that dark hair for me and the little scruff he was developing in the playoffs. MMMMM-HMMMMM
Ummm-errr, please, please disregard my comments. Good god I hope my fiancee doesn’t read this board…
"Game 7's are tough... It's a game that's made for men and our guys proved to be men today." -Laviolette
by PatterPoet95 on Jul 1, 2010 10:00 AM EDT up reply actions
I don’t buy this argument. Boosh is just as scruffy and dark-haired, if not more so. Okay yes, maybe Leighton worked the spiky, tousled look a little better, but $625,000 worth of better? I don’t think so. And have you seen Boucher in a suit?
You have your taste in men. I have mine.
Wow- that is ummmm over the line for me. Fuck it. I’m posting anyways…
"Game 7's are tough... It's a game that's made for men and our guys proved to be men today." -Laviolette
by PatterPoet95 on Jul 1, 2010 10:34 AM EDT up reply actions
+1
Two of the best nights of my life.,,,October 21, 1980 and October 29, 2008.
One of the weirdest...October 1, 1970. I kept part of one of the seats.
I was in college in Boston in 1974 and when Clarke scored the OT goal in game 2 I knew that the Flyers would win the Cup since they would never lose at home.
I don’t know because I personally would flip that order; I think Boosh’s year would have been different if he had seen regular playing time and not gotten the “we’ll never bother to play you” treatment. Obviously I still don’t see him as starting guy, but Boosh does not deserve the way he’s being treated after his performance at the end of the year, and in the beginning as well when he got absolutely zero support.
by DragonGirl0583 on Jun 30, 2010 8:59 PM EDT up reply actions
- Not that I meant I saw Leighton as expendable, that’s too harsh and drastic; I just meant that I rank Boosh as a little more precious, personally.
by DragonGirl0583 on Jun 30, 2010 9:00 PM EDT up reply actions
Nothing. And it sucks. Boucher deserves better.
Not sure how anybody would disagree with that, regardless of their stance on Leighton.
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by Travis Hughes on Jun 30, 2010 9:01 PM EDT up reply actions
This.
Two of the best nights of my life.,,,October 21, 1980 and October 29, 2008.
One of the weirdest...October 1, 1970. I kept part of one of the seats.
I was in college in Boston in 1974 and when Clarke scored the OT goal in game 2 I knew that the Flyers would win the Cup since they would never lose at home.
legitimate expectations come with a $1.55 mil deal? i dont think 3.1 over two years means that he’s arrived. haha we just need him to play well enough for the team in front of him to win. it just seems like some people are jumping ship at the thought of leighton as a starter next year and thats not even what the deal necessarily means.
I hope you are right that it doesn’t mean that Leights is the starter b/c there’s obvious reasons why we don’t want that like his poor rebound control, giant 5-hole, and tendency to let in softies (game 6 OTWTF goals)
by historywillbemade on Jun 30, 2010 5:33 PM EDT up reply actions
i dont think that it would be the end of the world if he is the starter. he was good enough to win with last year and, trust me, id like to see a proven goalie too. But an improvement at third pairing d could be all we need to win a cup with Leighton in the crease, if we cant sign any other goalies.
I just don’t know about that. We lucked out with our match-ups as in the East we were able to avoid the offensive juggernauts (Pitt, Wash) and I highly doubt that we’d be able to do that again. I wouldn’t chance it. I’d rather have a goalie that can occasionally steal a game (Nabby, Turco) than a goalie that can tend to blow a game (Boosh, Leights)
by historywillbemade on Jun 30, 2010 7:21 PM EDT up reply actions
In the minority here...
But I’m cautiously optimistic if Leighton turns out to be a starter, as unlikely as it may be.
Personally I’d like to see how he adjusts with coaching in the offseason given how well he played last season. I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt, even with that painful loss in the Finals.
by Boog609 on Jun 30, 2010 6:07 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
http://network.yardbarker.com/nhl/article_external/Team_Needs_and_Cap_Space/2819535
A look at cap space and biggest needs across the league. 3-4 teams listed as needing a starting goalie.
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/413526-nhl-free-agency-top-15-unrestricted-free-agents?utm_source=nhl.com
This lists top free agents and thinks that Nabby is headed to Washington but I thought Washington was more likely to spend elsewhere and go with tandem of Varly/ Neuvirth.
by historywillbemade on Jun 30, 2010 7:33 PM EDT reply actions
I don’t think it’s outside the realm of possibility that Was tries to pull off something like what Chi did this season where they go for it and over spend not worrying about next year… Still I would be surprised to see Nabokov there
"Game 7's are tough... It's a game that's made for men and our guys proved to be men today." -Laviolette
by PatterPoet95 on Jun 30, 2010 7:41 PM EDT up reply actions
To me, logically Nabby and Philly are the perfect fit for the right price. there are 3-4 teams looking for starters (one of which is SJ and they aren’t taking Nabby back). The other three teams are Flyers, Thrashers, and Lightning. Thrashers and Lightning are rebuilding and likely not a destination for an aging goalie that wants a shot at winning the cup. There is only one out of those 3 teams listed that need a goalie to lift a cup and it’s the Flyers. The only real problem is price. Nabby wants too much, but if the Flyers can wait it out a little for Atlanta, San Jose, and Tampa to go in other directions (Mason, Ellis, Turco) then the Flyers can dictate terms to Nabby and get him at a reasonable price.
by historywillbemade on Jun 30, 2010 7:49 PM EDT up reply actions
McPhee hates overpaying and the ownership and management have repeatedly said they want a long window to win. So while it’s not 100% out of the realm of possibility, it’s 99.98% out.
And yeah, they’ve also said, more or less, that Varlamov-Neuvirth-Carlson-Alzner and another Hershey guy are expected to be up full time next season.
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by red army line on Jul 1, 2010 5:09 AM EDT up reply actions
I’m concerned about Leighton’s ability to handle the new goalie equipment change, which makes me hope that we don’t lose Boosh until we have a better idea what is going on. While Boosh and Leights have different strengths and weaknesses, I feel Boosh is far quicker to get down into the butterfly than Leighton is (and back up, as well), and the new “form fitting” equipment roles seem designed to punish those guys who aren’t as agile or don’t react as quickly. I’m scared that all those adjustments of reducing the padding around the knees and calves, which are designed to stop goalies from being able to use the padding to compensate for delayed reaction time, are going to have a far more pronounced effect on Leights than on Boosh. That isn’t to say I’m not worried about Boosh for other reasons, but Leighton’s 5 hole issues could compound drastically based on the video the NHL put out about the equipment changes.
Leighton also used the butterfly almost exclusively. He is a big goalie so he could rely on being able to go down and cover a lot of net and not really relying on his reactions. Hiller is an excellent example of another goalie who does this, but he is a lot better at it. If you are going to just drop into butterfly then you need to cover whatever holes you can, especially 5-hole. Do you have a link to the video?
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The official NHL video is embedded in this article I found about the changes. Around the 1 minute mark it talks in detail about how it will affect going down to the ice late, and it definitely gives me some nerves when I think about Leighton’s play.
by DragonGirl0583 on Jun 30, 2010 8:56 PM EDT up reply actions
Interesting. Regarding Leighton’s 5-hole and the speed of his butterfly, I don’t think that will change much. I’ve seen some Revokes and they don’t add much to what Kay was talking about. I think they main companies in that regard are Vaughn and TPS. Leighton’s main problem with his 5-hole is his stick
New Zealand's 4th best Philadelphia Flyers fan
I also just read that 42 of 68 NHL goaltenders will be able to wear LARGER pads than they already do.
New Zealand's 4th best Philadelphia Flyers fan
The conflicting reports with this whole mess are out of control, everything I’ve read in print seems to contradict itself…
But I hope you’re right about it being less of an issue with Leights than I fear it will be, you have a far better knowledge of goalie topics than I do.
by DragonGirl0583 on Jun 30, 2010 9:18 PM EDT up reply actions
The conflicting reports with this whole mess are out of control, everything I’ve read in print seems to contradict itself…
…but it’s the NHL so I’ve come to expect it.
Just eye-balling Leighton’s gear, I’d say he would lose his +1 thigh rise, but his chest gear and pants look fine.
Giguere, Lundqvist and Legace are goalies to look at to see real cheaters, but even they have be reigned in. I really see it as trying to fix a problem that isn’t there.
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And Giggy has already been reigned in once…remember that first Cup run? You couldn’t see any part of his actual body!
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by Dylan Marck on Jun 30, 2010 10:08 PM EDT up reply actions
He has done a lot of work to cover mistakes his gear used to fix. His positioning is excellent and he has that Jiggy-fly style going on
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No doubt, there’s a reason why he’s still a good goalie. I just couldn’t believe the size of his pads back then…it was nuts.
Let’s hope Leights can do the same. I have full confidence in Reese though.
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by Dylan Marck on Jun 30, 2010 10:50 PM EDT up reply actions
WOOOOOO
I’m very happy with this deal, either for a starter or a backup. If he’s a starter, he’ll do fine, enough to take us a long way. If he’s a backup, he’ll certainly be ready to fill in in case of injury/bad play.
But then I’m a Leighton fan.
I'm now Kolb's biggest fan
by bdawk4ever on Jul 1, 2010 10:48 AM EDT reply actions 1 recs
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