A year ago, Michael Leighton was exactly where he wanted to be in life.
For the first time in his well-traveled career, he had the security of a one-way, two-year guaranteed contract worth $1.55 million a season and assurances he'd start the 2010-11 season as the Flyers' No. 1 goaltender.
"After signing that deal," Leighton said, "I definitely didn't expect to be having to fight my way back again."
Today, Leighton spends his mornings at the Skate Zone trying to work his way back onto a team that clearly has no room for him.
Having signed 31-year-old Russian Ilya Bryzgalov to a nine-year, $51 million contract, the Flyers have found the No. 1 goaltender they have sought since Ron Hextall's prime.
The rest of the goaltending puzzle is far more unsettled. Sergei Bobrovsky, 22, is entering the second year of a contract that pays him $1.75 million this season, which would make him the second highest-paid backup in the NHL.
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So where does that leave the 30-year-old Leighton, who has played for four different teams the past two seasons?
"It's August," Flyers general manager Paul Holmgren said. "I don't have to answer that. Training camp is a process you go through, and we're going to do what's right for the organization."
Last edited by MiamiScreamingEagles: 08-14-2011 at 10:23 AM.
If he makes the team and Bob gets shipped out or to the AHL there will be mutiny! I can just see it, Leighton ends up as backup, Bob is sent to the AHL, Leighton gets injured, Bob gets recalled but is picked up by the first team. Then we end up with half his cap hit.
I feel for him a bit. His attitude has never been in question, just his natural ability. He gave his all for us in every game and didn't do too badly in the most part. As good as our defence was during that cup run, Leighton certainly contributed.
Poor guy. At least he's got 1.5 million reasons a year to be cheerful though.
I feel for him a bit. His attitude has never been in question, just his natural ability. He gave his all for us in every game and didn't do too badly in the most part. As good as our defence was during that cup run, Leighton certainly contributed.
Poor guy. At least he's got 1.5 million reasons a year to be cheerful though.
How can you say his attitude is great when clearly he despises that he actually has to work to stay at the position he wants to be the quote above says something like, "Well, clearly I didn't expect to have to fight to keep my job" Seriously? Who doesn't have to fight to keep your job you aren't the greatest to start with and now you think you can take it easy because you got a new contract. And how can you criticize our D during the stanley cup run. If not for our D Leighton would have crumbled and been the journeyman AHLer he was the whole time anyway. It's because of our D that he only looked suspect and not completely terribad.
How can you say his attitude is great when clearly he despises that he actually has to work to stay at the position he wants to be the quote above says something like, "Well, clearly I didn't expect to have to fight to keep my job" Seriously? Who doesn't have to fight to keep your job you aren't the greatest to start with and now you think you can take it easy because you got a new contract. And how can you criticize our D during the stanley cup run. If not for our D Leighton would have crumbled and been the journeyman AHLer he was the whole time anyway. It's because of our D that he only looked suspect and not completely terribad.
Grow up. Go find the quote of him "ripping" into the D. His attitude has never been the problem. It is just the fact that he sucks.
I don't think anyone outside of Leighton and maybe Holmgren thinks we have a crowded crease. The rest of the world sees a starter, a backup, and a AHL scrub
How can you say his attitude is great when clearly he despises that he actually has to work to stay at the position he wants to be the quote above says something like, "Well, clearly I didn't expect to have to fight to keep my job" Seriously? Who doesn't have to fight to keep your job you aren't the greatest to start with and now you think you can take it easy because you got a new contract. And how can you criticize our D during the stanley cup run. If not for our D Leighton would have crumbled and been the journeyman AHLer he was the whole time anyway. It's because of our D that he only looked suspect and not completely terribad.
I'm not a Leighton fan, but I don't think he means it the way you are taking it. I think he is referring to the way the last year unfolded for him. He signed last summer to be the starter, but he lost his job without a real shot to prove himself because he got injured. Now his future is uncertain and the AHL job may not even be his. He fell off the radar in the organization without even playing himself out of a job.
I hope he is no where near the NHL team and believe they never should have signed him, but I do feel bad for him.
I seriously can't believe all your responses to this thread. It's like everything I've been saying about Leighton since he first returned is going in one ear and out the other.
You guys should re-examine Leighton. He took us to the Stanley Cup Finals in 2010.
I seriously can't believe all your responses to this thread. It's like everything I've been saying about Leighton since he first returned is going in one ear and out the other.
You guys should re-examine Leighton. He took us to the Stanley Cup Finals in 2010.
I'm not a Leighton fan, but I don't think he means it the way you are taking it. I think he is referring to the way the last year unfolded for him. He signed last summer to be the starter, but he lost his job without a real shot to prove himself because he got injured. Now his future is uncertain and the AHL job may not even be his. He fell off the radar in the organization without even playing himself out of a job.
I hope he is no where near the NHL team and believe they never should have signed him, but I do feel bad for him.
He had a back problem that required surgery without even playing a game of his new contract, and he didn't tell anyone about it until after he signed his shiny new contract. What did he expect us to do not find a goalie to replace him while he was out for half the year recovering from back surgery? We found a better replacement and he got the best contract of his career and continued doing the same crap he always did.
I had no problems with Leightons defficiencys until he acted like he was entitled to a starting job, and then tried to blame defense for his poor rebound control. Hes acting like a spoiled brat about the whole thing and deserves no sympathy. Yea if he had told Homer about the back thing he probably wouldn't have gotten the contract he got but he would of maintained himself being a legitimate guy but he didn't and is whining now that he is making bank on a rediculous contract he never should of got.
I seriously can't believe all your responses to this thread. It's like everything I've been saying about Leighton since he first returned is going in one ear and out the other.
You guys should re-examine Leighton. He took us to the Stanley Cup Finals in 2010.
:sarcasm
AHL
Nicely subtle, Chris. I was going to say that I didn't know Leighton had a bus-driver's license.
I think he's a great number 3. He's an AHL beast, and if forced into NHL duty we know he can be a very good stop gap. The problem is when he's depended on to be a starter or lying about an injury.
It was after the Buffalo game we lost in OT. He blamed the defense for the goal.
Is this the quote where he said O'Donnell screened him? I read that as, "O'Donnell did what he was supposed to do, and sometimes that means you have to be screened on shots and it makes easy looking shots harder to stop. It happens."
Is this the quote where he said O'Donnell screened him? I read that as, "O'Donnell did what he was supposed to do, and sometimes that means you have to be screened on shots and it makes easy looking shots harder to stop. It happens."
Was it? I thought he criticixed the team as a whole in terms of how they handled it. It was a few sentences long, I think. My 20 seconds google search didnt turn up anything, so who knows
