Leighton on his way, but why?
According to the Glens Falls Post-Star, the Flyers and Phantoms are swapping goaltenders, with Michael Leighton on his way to Philadelphia. Brian Boucher is reportedly heading to Adirondack.
Leighton on his way, but why?
Frank Seravalli
Not incredibly far from Boston, where the Flyers fell flat again in a 3-0 shellacking by the Bruins, equipment bags were rustling in Glens Falls, N.Y.
According to the Glens Falls Post-Star, the Flyers and Phantoms are swapping goaltenders, with Michael Leighton on his way to Philadelphia. Brian Boucher is reportedly heading to Adirondack.
It’s a curious move, one that doesn’t seem to make a whole lot of sense. Given the Flyers’ obvious woes, the backup goaltender position would seem to be one of the last focal points on this roster.
To say that Sunday’s matchup with Buffalo is a must-win situation for the Flyers would be to put it lightly. They are in desperation mode, with the ability to fall to 14th place in a jam-packed Eastern Conference with a loss. Jobs are seemingly on the line with the game, extending from the front office through the Flyers’ bench.
Desperate times call for desperate measures. Does that mean Peter Laviolette is considering starting Leighton against the Sabres?
The Flyers are not holding a morning skate on Sunday, so we won’t have any way of knowing until game time. But it doesn’t seem out of the realm of possibility. Laviolette has always been a big Leighton fan, hence the reason why he is on his second contract with the team.
Nonetheless, it would still be a shocking move. A must-win game, with a goaltender who has played just 4 NHL games (including playoffs) since Game 6 of the Stanley Cup final in 2010 – one who was in the minors as recently as Saturday.
Truthfully, Ilya Bryzgalov looked tired on Saturday in Boston. He gave up three goals in quick succession against the Bruins, and he hasn’t been able to come up with the “big” save – something he did with regularity to start the season – to keep his team in front.
Bryzgalov, 32, has made 24 starts in the Flyers’ 26 games. He’s played more minutes (1,349:58) than any goaltender in the league. He’s also given up more goals (63) and has more losses (11) than any goaltender. His goals against-average has ballooned from 2.20 a month ago to north of 2.80 on Saturday. His save percentage has plummeted from .923 to under .899.
Leighton, 31, is coming off an injury to his right ring finger. He’s rehabbed and appeared in two games with Adirondack (1-1-0) since clearing waivers on March 1. His most recent outing, on Friday night against second place Springfield, was his best - stopping 31 out of 32 shots.
Leighton was shelled in his only NHL appearance this season, a 5-1 loss in Tampa Bay on Jan. 27. He has a goals against-average of 4.12 (9 GA in 189 minutes) and an .896 save percentage in those 4 games since Patrick Kane's Cup-clinching goal.
As hard as it is to put Kane's goal out of mind, it’s hard to forget Leighton’s last game against Buffalo. He started Game 6 of the Flyers’ first round series (see: circus, goaltender) in Buffalo and gave up 3 goals on 8 shots on April 24, 2011. He was pulled in the first period of that start, which was also a gamble.
It’s equally tough to understate the importance of Sunday’s nationally televised game. With a loss, the Flyers would put themselves in a position of having to gain at least 30 points over their final 21 games of the season to assure themselves a playoff spot.
Ripping off 15 wins in 21 contests is a lot to ask of any team, except for the Chicago Blackhawks, but it’s an especially daunting task for a team which has not won three straight all season.
Starting Leighton would be a bold move, one that will likely have an already impatient fan-base lighting their torches and sharpening their scythes should it not pay off.
For the latest updates, follow Frank Seravalli on Twitter: @DNFlyers
Boucher hasn't played in an eternity, Leighton on Friday. If the back up is starting tomorrow maybe Lavy wants to go with a goalie that has seen game action this month.— chham57
Laviolette has absolutely lost his mind. He's going to start Leaky against the Sabres? Here are the highlights of Leaky's last start against Buffalo. Rob Niedermayer scores on the first shot of the game, then Tomas Vanek adds 2 more Buffalo goals as Leaks is pulled after one period: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QdyeGehRudQ- Did Leighton steal your girlfriend or something? What makes you actually think he's going to be the difference maker? The Flyers have lost three straight - all badly - going into tomorrow, while Leighton was nowhere near them. This team has way deeper problems than who's starting in goal.
— icarus - More hockey brilliance from the great icarus on the subject of goaltending.
icarus posted 8:37 PM, 02/22/2012
Accuracy check: the Flyers tied the Canadiens for 8th seed, but finished 7th via tie-breaker. Boucher's record in the Boston series was 1-4.
icarus posted posted 8:37 PM, 02/22/2012
Self-correction: Leighton finished Boucher's second win in game 5. Boucher was credited with the win because the Flyers were leading at the time of his injury. His record thus was 2-4.
What a moron, if Boucher had 4 losses as icarus states TWICE, the Flyers would have lost that 2010 come-back series against Boston.
P.S. Leighton stole my heart, when he let in the worst goal in Flyer history. - I don't know who has more problems. They guys' who post these comments or YOU for meticulously logging them....
- get rid of bryz as soon as the season ends. one of the worst contracts in flyers history— psualum
- Leighton, 31 saves on 32 shots friday...start em— Flyerdom
- start em: That's what Tomas Vanek is saying also, he can't wait to see Leaky again.
Watch Vanek back hand it through Leaky's 5 hole:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ndircl0UKV0
Watch Vanek bank it off Leaky into the Flyer goal:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JtaEthqdp3U&feature=related - If Lavy is even thinking that, he should be fired. And maybe if he isn't.— PhillySubsMac
- time to wave buh-bye to Lavvy— SyddBarrett
- I'd like to see Leighton start--nothing against Boucher or Bryzgolov. Leighton won one less game than the lionized Hextall in their respective drives for the cup. Haters gonna hate.
— Sacrebleu - And one of them won the Conn Smythe as playoff MVP on the loosing team, which has happened 5 times in 50 years. The other lost the 6th game of the finals on one of the weakest goals ever. And alot of people like Hextall, but he was not an elite goalie with the exception of his rookie year. — Sidewinder7
- Leaky won 2 games against the Bruins, 4 against the Habs and 2 against the Hawks for a total of 8 in 2010.
Hextall won 15 when the Flyers advanced to the Finals in 1987: http://www.hockey-reference.com/players/h/hextaro01.html - We all know you don't like Leighton Frank.— bosso_fataka
