Flyers try to fill gaps; Leighton signed
The Philadelphia Inquirer Blog - Flyers Report: Broad Street Bull
Flyers try to fill gaps; Leighton signed
Sam Carchidi, Inquirer Staff Writer
The Flyers will try to fill gaps via free agency and the trade market on Sunday. I will be blogging updates throughout the day.
Defenseman Justin Schultz has already signed with Edmonton to start the free-agent frenzy.
Zach Parise and Ryan Suter are the top FAs on the market.
By 12:45 p.m. -- 45 minutes after the free-agent period started -- the Flyers had made offers to Parise, Suter and Matt Carle, according to an NHL source.
Since the lockout, an average of $320 million has been handed out on July 1 in the FA market.
Gentlemen, open your checkbooks.
* * *
Leighton returns. The Flyers started things by signing goalie Michael Leighton -- the goat of the 2010 Finals -- to a one-year, one-way deal for a reported $900,000.
Re-signing Leighton is a little like the Phillies re-signing closer Mitch Williams two years after allowing the game-winning homer to Joe Carter in the World Series. Leighton, of course, allowed one of the worst GW goals in Stanely Cup Finals history (Chicago's Patrick Kane, 2010, as if you didn't remember).
In a conference call with reporters on Sunday, Leighton said the Kane goal "will be on my mind the rest of my life" but that he has learned from it and moved on
The Flyers needed a backup goalie because they dealt Sergei Bobrovsky to Columbus last week.
To be fair, Leighton performed extremely well two seasons ago -- until he folded in the Finals.
“I'm very happy to be back in Philly,” Leighton said. “This is where I want to be and I'm excited about the team we have this year. I look forward to the opportunity to continue working with Jeff Reese,” the Flyers goalie coach.
Leighton, 31, was 19-7-2 with a 2.68 goals-against average in 32 regulat-season games with the Flyers.
In 2010, Leighton helped lead the Flyers to the Finals, where he struggled mightily. In the conference finals, he set a franchise record for shutouts in a playoff series (three) against Montreal. In 14 games during that playoff run, Leighton went 8-3 with a 2.46 GAA and .916 save percentage.
In 104 NHL games with Chicago, Nashville, Carolina, and the Flyers, Leighton has a 35-40-10-4 record with a 2.95 GAA and .902 save percentage.
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Here is how the Flyers may look next season and the gaps they are trying to fill:
Line 1: Hartnell-Giroux-XXXXX.
Line 2: Read-Briere-Simmonds.
Line 3: Talbot-Couturier-Voracek.
Line 4: Rinaldo-B.Schenn-Wellwood
DEFENSE
Coburn-Grossman.
Timonen-Meszaros.
L. Schenn-XXXXXXXX.
GOALIES
Bryzgalov-Leighton.
Leaky Leighton is back....nooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!— ssiefert- Not bad. If anything, this will lock in Bryz playing about 70 games. And he is at his best when he plays every night.— seaonasdad
Comment removed.- The Flyers need to sign Joey Crab. Just for the jokes.— AreaMan
- Toyota Dealer - you are an idiot.— vvvmetallicavvv
- LOL. The second I heard this I couldn't wait to get here and see all the madness unfold! Great Mitch Williams analogy. Was thinking the same thing actually (except Leighton wasn't getting the death threats.) Personally, Stanley Cup Finals aside, I actually think Leighton is a solid goalie and a competent back up. I know i'm gonna get blasted for that, he's had decent stats in his career, and despite being the goalie for that heartbreaking loss, had a real good year for us in 09-10. 16-5 with a shutout 2.48 sv% and .920 is a pretty good line. Not to mention AHL All Star last year (Albeit at 30 YO) Assuming Bryz has a better year (and im not convinced that'll happen) and stays healthy, I don't think Leighton is a terrible signing for a backup.— Neebo
- Hade to make this signing, its not that bad. Had no choice once Brian Boucher went down. its a low hit on the cap and buys you some time. Now sign Carle, Jagar and Parenteau and wait for next year. Were not getting Parise as he is going to the penguins. Were also not getting Suter he will stay put or go to Detroit. My biggest fear is a knee jerk reaction to the parise signing..in which Holgrem will trade for Ryan or Nash. Dont give up on the youg kids..add Parenteau is an under the radar winger...he will bring scoring depth you need. 18 goals and i believe 47 assists for a bad islanders team. Next year you should have Kimmo coming off the cap as well as jagr if you sign him to a one year deal and i believe Briere will come off the cap as well. Save money this year and next and go after Weber. With Weber, Schenn and Couturier it wont matter who is skating in Pittsberg or New york. We will have shut down Defencemen and a potent offene for other teams to keep up with...We just have to be patient. There is no one move this year to bring the cup back to Philadelphia...unless they sign Parise or he stays in NJ or goes to the wild.— Tboyd33
- Over the shoulder out; Leighton in. Sounds exactly like the way things were going to be before Leighton got injured. Leighton is a respectable back up choice. He plays well off the bench mid game (look at how many times he bailed out Boosh in 2010), can steal a game (unlike our last never-to-be-named-again back up, Leighton actually has shutouts), has proven he can play big in the playoffs (record breaking 3 shutouts in one series), and has something to prove after being the goat for a team collapse in the Finals.
I don't like this move, but the fact that FlyerFan4Life and PhillyBoyinNYC are somewhere throwing temper tantrums in their basements makes me absolutely love this. Thank you Homer!— snipesmorris - When Leaky was injured? Snipes has more excuses for Leaky that Kellogs has corn flakes. I suppose he was injured when he gave up this rebound game winner to Tyer Ennis:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n93XgSm8FuY&feature=related
And he was injured when he gave up a goal to Rob Neidermayer on Buffalo's first shot, before allowing two more first period goals on seven shots.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QdyeGehRudQ - Good signing. Not a big cap hit for a backup and Bryz gets to play a ton of games (which should help his confidence going into the season). Like the fact that the Flyers gave Parise and Suter offers; at least they're being active. Would love to get Ryan for Voracek, Gus and a 2nd. Pass on Nash, he makes too much money.— the sichee-ation
- Another brilliant move by Holmgren.....roman cechmanek wanted more money.....— Mike Boryla
- Leighton>Bobrovsky....this makes the team better. As incredibly average as Leighton is, he is a far more technically sound, and stable goaltender than last season's backup.— Hexy4GM
- Oh, yeah! Leaky is Technically sound.
Like giving up rebound playoff game winners:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n93XgSm8FuY&feature=related
Letting opposing players score by shooting between their legs: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fnpUvCQqatI
Troy Brouwer blows it past Leaky from 40 feet out:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4QcPyBhXI4
Ben Eager from 60 feet out:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wmBdaYtPNCo
- FlyerFan4Life, you reference the Ben Eager's goal from 60 feet out, well Jonathan Quick allowed a goal from Coyotes defenseman Derek Morris from center ice. Does that mean Jonathan Quick sucks too?
— snad264 - Jonathan Quick is the Conn Smythe trophy winner.
Leaky has won one playoff series in his entire career - against the number 8 seed Canadiens.
You tell me which one sucks.
P.S. Don't miss this one. Leaky tries to poke check the puck to the corner, but hits it to Tomas Vanek instead. Vanek then banks the puck off Leaky's body into the Flyer net.
