Leighton on re-entry waivers
Daily News Flyers blog
Leighton on re-entry waivers
OTTAWA -- Michael Leighton could be back in Philadelphia soon.
How soon?
As early as Wednesday at noon. The Flyers put Leighton on re-entry waivers on Tuesday at noon, giving 29 other clubs a crack at him for half of his $1.55 million salary. The Flyers would be required to pay the other half. Leighton still has one year remaining on his deal that he signed last summer, after the Flyers bowed out of the Stanley Cup Finals.
The Flyers would like to have Leighton available for the playoffs if need be, and re-calling him now - as opposed to when there is an injury - would make it easier to have him on the roster.
If the Flyers had an injury in the playoffs, teams - even those not even participating in the playoffs - would be more likely to place a claim to put the Flyers in a tough spot.
Leighton, 29, has helped carry the Phantoms out of last place in the AHL. He has posted a 14-12-2 record with a 2.22 goals against-average and .926 save percentage.
Leighton has 5 shutouts this season - including back-to-back shutouts in the last 2 games - which gives him 5 more shutouts than the Flyers’ entire team. Leighton even posted 3 shutouts in the postseason last year for the Flyers, where he also had a 8-3 record.
Even though any team can claim Leighton, they would not be able to use him in the playoffs this season since he was not on their 50-man roster by the Feb. 28 trade deadline.
SLAP SHOTS: The Flyers can clinch their first Atlantic division title tonight since 2004 with any kind of win and any Pittsburgh non-win ... Sergei Bobrovsky will start for the Flyers tonight against last place Ottawa. We made a case in today's paper for why Bobrovsky should be one of the three Calder Trophy finalists for Rookie of the Year ... Blair Betts, Danny Briere and Nick Boynton did not make the trip with the Flyers to Ottawa. That means Ben Holmstrom, Andreas Nodl and Danny Syvret will be in the lineup ... Jody Shelley is on the trip but has not been cleared yet to return from a fractured orbital surgery.
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- You don't bring a minor leaguer up to be your starter at the end of the season...that would be crazy. It would be like a team favored to win the Stanley Cup, bringing in an undrafted, career loser, who has never played in North America, and naming him the starter. Then ignoring his record in the second half of the season, and assuming that he is good enough to win the Cup. Even though he has not played a playoff game at any level in his playing career. When the Flyers finally "turn the switch" and begin playing better at the start of the playoffs, Bobrovsky will be able to turn that switch too. Even though he has absolutely no history to draw upon from playing in meaningful games. I guess it sucks that the organization is willing to do whatever it takes to win the Stanley Cup. They should steadfastly deny the reality of the situation, and stubbornly stick to their guns...you know, because you didn't like the last goal you saw last year.
— Hexy4GM 
somebody will claim him— kdub13- would be surprised if he makes it through waivers...— M60tanker
- Anyone have Chico Resch's cell phone #?— NC Philly
- Well, that is an overwhelming vote of confidence for our 2 current goalies......but it is typical of the Flyers approach to
goaltending......and the last 6 losses were not the goal tenders fault.....it is a lack of focus, discipline, guts and effort....and that is all the other players.— nuggett - Would it be that much of a surprise for him to make it through? The team that claims him would be paying him to join their minor league system, and they would only be guessing as to whether or not they would actually be seeing the Flyers in the playoffs. Frank, would a claiming team be on the hook for half of his $1.55M salary, or half of the prorated remainder (which would be about $56K total, leaving each team responsible for about $28K)?— 1980
- I believe that the number is prorated, but Leighton is also signed for next season, at 1.55 million as well. So, it is a commitment of 800K. — Hexy4GM
Comment removed.- He's already made it through waivers once this year. He might make it through again... why? Why not?— stblindtiger
- i'm waiting....— nuggett
- Why? Because his stats with the Flyers are better than or at worst comparable to those posted by Boosh and Bob. Why? Because the guy averages one shutout for every four playoff games, both in the NHL and AHL! Why? Because he led the turnaround for the Phantoms this year AND the Flyers last year. Why? Because the team believes in him and plays their best hockey in front of him (Flyers have a better winning percentage playing in front of Leighton than they do in front of Bob or Boosh). Why? Because the Flyers are going for it all and know that they may need Leighton to save them, again.— snipesmorris
- Shutouts? LOL Two goals in 28 seconds: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wmBdaYtPNCo Three goals on eleven Chicago shots: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=83itZmpVma0&feature=relmfu
Leaky chokes the Cup away, on a shot any junior hockey goalie could have easily stopped: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mZcO5IVFffs - Wow, I thought the Leighton video bash would've been the lead post on this article. All the way back on page two. Nonetheless, just as boring, predictable, and inane. Yawn.
— icarus - Well, the Flyers gave him a 2 year contract last year. Send your complaints there, I guess. Zherdev, Briere, Boucher, Boynton...either the Flyers are an awful team, filled with worthless waiver wire castaways, or you don't understand how the league works. Keep spouting your Leighton hatred. I see you have never shown any clips of important playoff saves that Bobrovsky has made. Do you have the highlights from tonight's Ottawa game where in 1:05 he turned a 2-1 Flyers lead, into a 3-2 Ottawa lead in the last minute of the second period? But, perhaps his vast experience in past playoffs will help him settle down when games get meaningful. Has he ever played in a playoff game...ever? — Hexy4GM
- going , going gone. Hello Rangers or Red Wings— debbyt
