Flyers Sign Goaltender Leighton to Two-Year Deal

The Philadelphia Flyers announced today that they have signed goaltender Michael Leighton to a two-year contract worth $3.1 million. The deal averages out to $1.55 million per season. He would have been an unrestricted free agent on July 1. He was claimed off waivers by the Flyers from the Carolina Hurricanes last December. The Flyers now have three goaltenders on board for the 2010-11 season, with Brian Boucher and Johan Backlund already on board. The team had been given permission to speak with impending free agent goaltenders Evgeni Nabokov and Marty Turco, but it is unlikely deals will be completed with those veterans before July 1. It is currently unknown how the Leighton signing could impact those discussions. In 34 games last season with Philadelphia and Carolina, Leighton posted a 17-9-2 record, one shutout, a 2.83 GAA, and a .905 save percentage. In 14 playoff games, he posted an 8-3 record, three shutouts, a 2.46 GAA, and a .916 save percentage. He missed 13 regular season and nine playoff games with an ankle injury last season. This is a great signing for the Flyers, as Leighton had a good bounce-back season in 2009-10 and emerged as a playoff hero for the Flyers. He has good size and is solid in the goalie crease. If Leighton plays as well next season as he did in 2009-10, the Flyers should be near the top of the Eastern Conference standings for most of the season.

Flyers Claim Goalie Leighton Off Waivers from Hurricanes

The Philadelphia Flyers announced today that they have claimed goaltender Michael Leighton off re-entry waivers from the Carolina Hurricanes. Leighton's cap hit to the Flyers will be $200,000 since he was claimed off re-entry waivers. In seven games with the Hurricanes this season, he has posted a 1-4-0 record with a 4.28 GAA and a .848 save percentage. This will be his second stint with the Flyers. With Ray Emery sidelined for six weeks with an abdominal tear, the Flyers had been rumored in the market for a goaltender. The move is very cost-friendly for the Flyers, who are very close to the salary cap, but I'm not so sure Leighton will be very effective for the Flyers. Sure he will provide some experience in goal, but he hasn't been that impressive over the past few seasons, let alone played very much. According to a report this afternoon, the Montreal Canadiens had offered goaltender Jaroslav Halak to the Flyers, but the Flyers rejected the offer and opted to go for Leighton instead. The Canadiens were rumored interested in either a top-six forward or a second round draft pick. While trading for Halak would have been a better choice, the Flyers likely did not want to part with a forward or high draft pick, and instead, gave up nothing to land Leighton. While he was the cheapest option for the team, I have my doubts that Leighton will be effective for the Flyers and it would not surprise me if they start looking for another goalie in a couple of weeks. They should have traded for Halak instead.