Flyers make pitch for goalie Marty Turco

Another goalie has surfaced as a possible starter for the Flyers.

Negotiations with San Jose's Evgeni Nabokov have not been fruitful, so the Flyers have apparently reached out to Dallas' Marty Turco.

Turco, a 5-foot-11, 185-pounder who will turn 35 on Aug. 13, told ESPN.com he turned down the Flyers' three-year offer for a little more than $6 million total.

Turco was 22-20-11 with a 2.72 goals-against average and .913 save percentage this past season.

Michael Leighton had better numbers than Turco after the Flyers claimed him off reentry waivers from Carolina in December. With the Flyers, Leighton was 16-5-2 with a 2.48 goals-against average and a .918 save percentage.

Leighton, 29, was outstanding in the playoffs - before a subpar performance in the Stanley Cup Finals against Chicago.

Don Meehan, Nabokov's agent, said Monday that no progress was made in negotiations with the Flyers.

Nabokov and Turco can become unrestricted free agents Thursday. Their clubs have given the Flyers permission to negotiate because they would likely get a draft pick in return if they signed with Philadelphia before going the free-agent route.

Nabokov, who turns 35 on July 25, went 44-16-10 with a 2.43 goals-against average and a .922 save percentage for the Sharks this past season.

It has become clear the Flyers feel they need an upgrade from Leighton, especially if they don't add a quality defenseman. They had been leaning toward re-signing Leighton as the starter, sources said, before talks broke down with recently acquired defenseman Dan Hamhuis, who was then dealt to Pittsburgh.

Hamhuis can become a free agent Thursday.

If the Flyers somehow are able to sign Hamhuis - or perhaps someone such as hard-hitting defenseman Anton Volchenkov - Leighton might reenter their picture. The Flyers are enamored with the 6-1, 226-pound Volchenkov, a potential free agent who was plus-2 for Ottawa this past season.

General manager Paul Holmgren could not be reached for comment.