If they think they can get Biron for pretty cheap, I don't get why you wouldn't sign him as the backup. I mean, if you're going to give Leighton 1.55 to "compete" and be a backup, why not give Biron that contract (maybe 1.6) and go after somebody like Mason/Turco at 3-3.25. <$5 million is not a whole lot to spend on two goalies, but I guess anything over 4 mil combined is too much for Holmgren.
Chris, do you have 2 accounts? You keep believing that sport. Yeah it worked so well for the flyers this year didnt it? A defense cant do squat on pucks that reach the net now can they?
I saw two sub-par goalies coupled with very good blue liners. One of those goalies won, just wasn't ours.
Neither team could hide their goalie from the offense of the other side... theirs just came up with some more stops. However, we got through the East without really facing a legitimate offense, so that was the first chance for our goalie to really be tested in a series... got cut through like warm butter.
I saw two sub-par goalies coupled with very good blue liners. One of those goalies won, just wasn't ours.
Niemi--for the most part--made timely saves. A lot of our goals were caused by traffic in front of the net or bad bounces (backbreaking goal in game 4 went off a dman, I think). Think of how many Blackhawks goals were first shots, not even rebounds. Decent amount.
yeah but you don't need a goalie who is prone to this
He's not prone to giving up soft goals. You're just saying that because of how the Finals ended. Its like what people said about Brad Lidge a few years after the Pujols home run ending the Astros season, then he came back and went perfect.
#1. MgKibbles is not me.
#2. I didn't even want to re-sign Leighton.
#3. Stop putting words in my mouth and/or exaggerating everything I say.
#4. MgKibbles is mostly right but is taking it to an extreme I don't agree with.
#5. Jester, I was in fact absolutely correct, regardless of the final outcome of the Finals, for a variety of reasons that I have already pointed out numbers times.
If the Flyers face Pitt or Wash in the first round with Leighton/Boucher, they get knocked out in 5 games.
The fact of the matter is that we hid Leighton behind Pronger and it worked out ok, and we were only exposed when we faced Flyers West who had a slightly better team and a better goalie.
I like Leighton to backup, but not for that price.
He's not prone to giving up soft goals. You're just saying that because of how the Finals ended. Its like what people said about Brad Lidge a few years after the Pujols home run ending the Astros season, then he came back and went perfect.
You are kidding right?
Have you seen his 5 hole control? It's god awful. The guy also, has an extremely slow glove hand.
#1. MgKibbles is not me.
#2. I didn't even want to re-sign Leighton.
#3. Stop putting words in my mouth and/or exaggerating everything I say.
#4. MgKibbles is mostly right but is taking it to an extreme I don't agree with.
#5. Jester, I was in fact absolutely correct, regardless of the final outcome of the Finals, for a variety of reasons that I have already pointed out numbers times.
How in the world am I taking it to an extreme? I'm just trying to be realistic. The team played well in-front of Leighton and he was above average for the entire time he was here. Sure I would've felt safer with some of the other names being floated around this off-season, but this move isn't signaling the end of the world like some here seem to be suggestion.
#1. MgKibbles is not me.
#2. I didn't even want to re-sign Leighton.
#3. Stop putting words in my mouth and/or exaggerating everything I say.
#4. MgKibbles is mostly right but is taking it to an extreme I don't agree with.
#5. Jester, I was in fact absolutely correct, regardless of the final outcome of the Finals, for a variety of reasons that I have already pointed out numbers times.
Not that I've addressed anything you've said in this thread, or mentioned you... what exactly were you "correct" about?
Neither team could hide their goalie from the offense of the other side... theirs just came up with some more stops. However, we got through the East without really facing a legitimate offense, so that was the first chance for our goalie to really be tested in a series... got cut through like warm butter.
This is very true and have made the same point to other people. NJ, Boston and Montreal were not offensive juggernauts and all three could be contained. In the case of Chicago they were much harder to contain especially given the lack of control of the puck b/c of the faceoff deficiencies (Richards better be working on it in the offseason). Our last line of defense was subpar the whole series and didn't make enough of the key stops to give the team a chance to win. Every goal the Flyers got was quickly countered and it was deflating to the team IMO. It reminded me of the Phillies with Mitch Williams ....Dykstra and others did everything they could to win that World Series...Williams and Fregosi did everything to lose it. Leighton did not win a single game on his own IMO in that series. Niemi the Keebler elf was nothing great but he was marginally better and in a game of inches which that series turned out to be...the softees were magnified 100x with an electron microscope. There was very little room for error in that series and the Flyers needed Leighton to be the last line of defense against a very potent and opportunistic team...
He's not prone to giving up soft goals. You're just saying that because of how the Finals ended. Its like what people said about Brad Lidge a few years after the Pujols home run ending the Astros season, then he came back and went perfect.
He gives up soft goals all the time.
What he did a very good job of was stopping the first shot... if he had kept down the soft goals, his numbers would have been off the charts.
Neither team could hide their goalie from the offense of the other side... theirs just came up with some more stops. However, we got through the East without really facing a legitimate offense, so that was the first chance for our goalie to really be tested in a series... got cut through like warm butter.
I'd say "excellent offense." I agree the winner was weak but for the most part I'm not going to blame Leighton for tipped shots that should be blocked or pucks that he doesn't see. He wasn't great but hopefully now we have a back-up with Stanley Cup Finals experience. Much rather Leighton than Biron.
[QUOTE=Chris Shafer;26633577]#1. MgKibbles is not me.
[QUOTE]
Lol. I wonder if they have any interest in Roloson now or if the isles want to move him? split time in reg seaosn Roloson down the stretch and playoffs? Rather have him at 2.2 than Leighton at 1.5 though.
What is this, a pity contract? $1.55M cap hit?! There's no WAY Leighton was going to get that on the open market. And if he did, fine, good riddance, I can live with Bouch as the #2. Quite frankly, anything over a $1M cap hit for a guy who should be no more than the backup is total buffoonery.
More than anything I agree with Jester on the simple point of why make this signing now, as opposed to after FA starts? Are you really that scared of the almighty Michael Leighton going somewhere else? Who cares?
