Michael Leighton Claimed By Philadelphia; Aaron Ward Clears Waivers
by Cory Lavalette on Dec 15, 2009 12:24 PM EST
111 comments
Goaltender Michael Leighton has been claimed by the Philadelphia Flyers on re-entry waivers, the Hurricanes announced via their Twitter account. With Ray Emery injured, the Flyers were in need of another NHL goalie to assist backup Brian Boucher with the workload. Leighton is 1-4-0 this season with a.848 save percentage and 4.29 goals-against average. Leighton was outplayed by Manny Legace — who was acquired when Cam Ward injured by the skate of Columbus' Rick Nash Nov. 7 — and was placed on waivers upon Ward's return from the long-term injury list.
This will be Leighton's second stint with Philadelphia. He spent part of the 2006-07 season with the Flyers, who claimed him off waivers from Nashville Jan. 7, 2007. He was 2-2-0 during his brief time with the Flyers.
(UPDATE: Paul Branecky now has a story up on Leighton being claimed)
In related news, defenseman Aaron Ward went unclaimed through waivers.
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I wish him well. Fresh start without Mo and not backing up the best young goalie in the NHL is just what he needs.
Gleason for the "C" :
Just what do we need to do to make this happen?
Ryan MIller. I would take Ryan Miller EVERY EFFIN DAY over Fleury.
by wylde4canes on Dec 15, 2009 12:37 PM EST up reply actions
I don’t even consider him young … he’s 29.
by Cory Lavalette on Dec 15, 2009 12:47 PM EST up reply actions
Yeah. I don’t see it either.
I would take Ryan Miller over Fleury.
by Iggy Reilly on Dec 15, 2009 12:37 PM EST up reply actions
Miller is older than Cam, and in my book doesn’t qualify as young.
I could also have gone with Mason in Columbus, but he’s faltering, or Hiller in Anaheim, but the team isn’t playing real well behind him now.
5 seconds left.
Do you believe in miracles?
YES!!
Mason and Hiller are two good choices too. I compare Miller and Ward more based on the fact they both broke in the same year. Fleury has a year on both of em, right?
by wylde4canes on Dec 15, 2009 12:48 PM EST up reply actions
now that I say that I realize he started a year before but was up and down alot until last year when he finally stuck.
by wylde4canes on Dec 15, 2009 12:49 PM EST up reply actions
Rinne and Rask need to be in on the conversation, too.
by Cory Lavalette on Dec 15, 2009 12:50 PM EST up reply actions
Ill give you Rinne, but Rask does NOT have me convinced. PLus I just like to say Rinne’s first name…….
A little aside here, but the league needs to do something about the fact that there is a player whose names is Pekka Rinne and another player whose last name is Pikkarainen. It’s confusing. I watched a New Jersey game a week ago and it took me into the third to realize that the announcer was referring to Ilkka Pikkarainen the RW and not Pekka Rinne the goalie.
5 seconds left.
Do you believe in miracles?
YES!!
I think the NHLPA has a clause about forcing players to change their names, but I feel your pain. LOL!
Thanks C Leaguer this one really made me smile.
Have you dealt with this issue too? I’ve been so swamped at work since the start of the season. I was listening to this game while making dinner and doing some review stuff. I really thought I had missed a trade.
5 seconds left.
Do you believe in miracles?
YES!!
I caught it once and thought wait a second………… Thankfully my mobile device of choice has an app for that too!
by wylde4canes on Dec 16, 2009 10:21 AM EST up reply actions
They’re changing Rinne’s name to Pekke TresCinco.
by Cory Lavalette on Dec 15, 2009 2:39 PM EST up reply actions
I may have missed on the results the Canes could expect this season, but I told all the Flyers lovers that they were insane.
Goaltending was their biggest issue, and picking up Leighton off waivers in December isn’t going to solve that.
Good luck Leights.
Blasphemy suggesting Leighton won’t solve Flyers goaltending issues. You’re supposed to say he never got a fair chance here.
by drifterscape on Dec 15, 2009 1:24 PM EST up reply actions
I think he never got a good chance here, but that doesn’t mean he will solve their issues. :)
We never got to find out whether Leights would do well once he got into a groove. Maybe he still can’t. Dunno. But we certainly never found out here…
by Raccoon Fink on Dec 15, 2009 1:50 PM EST up reply actions
Thanks to Philly
Team needs to save as much money as possible to make them a force on the FA market.
5 seconds left.
Do you believe in miracles?
YES!!
make them a force on the FA market.
Right, because after this season PK is really going to spend money again. I will drop dead if this team ever signs an impact free agent and not a re-tread, has been, or never was.
it always burns within
the downward spiral never ends
when driven into sin
your salvation's found in a sinner's deed
by Douchebag St John on Dec 15, 2009 1:10 PM EST up reply actions
If they keep losing money then they’ll bring back Jeff Herema and Josef Vasicek.
Also, if this team opts for the re-build I’m not sure a top FA would make sense in this off-season, but I don’t know. Getting Taylor Hall, acquiring picks for departing players and moving those for young players, and shrewd FA signings could have the team back to competitive next season A la Philly a few years back.
5 seconds left.
Do you believe in miracles?
YES!!
Philly acquired most of their good young talent via trade by fleecing Atlanta and Nashville … though they did get Briere via free agency. Can’t remember how the rest of those clowns got there …
Good luck to Leights
he was screwed over by not being able to play even when Cam really needed to rest.
Happerry Chrisolkwanaka
Leights no longer a Cane. While I’m happy that the org freed up a little cap space and settled the goalie situation, Michael is a person with a mortgage and a new baby and mouths to feed. I wish him will and hope he gets the chance to thrive in a new environment.
So AWard cleared waivers. Doest that mean he cleared re-entry waivers? or did he just clear the first half of the process?
First half, if you wanna look at it like that.
by wylde4canes on Dec 15, 2009 12:38 PM EST up reply actions
Just the first half of the process I believe.
"This guy is as meat and potatoes as there is of a man."
Gleason for Emperor!
When he’s claimed on re-entry he’ll only be owed about 750K by his claiming team, a cap number that can fit in to a lot of teams budgets.
5 seconds left.
Do you believe in miracles?
YES!!
I really expect the Canes to turn around and put him on re-entry waivers. Paladin’s purge may have begun, but we won’t see Roddy on any of these lists.
No… he started playing better (still not great… but better)
by Mateos_Canes_Lamp on Dec 15, 2009 12:46 PM EST up reply actions
Chip has just posted comments from Mo after practice.
“It hasn’t been an easy situation for him,” Maurice said of Ward. "But he practiced hard yesterday and practiced hard today, and that’s what he’s getting paid to do. “We expect him in the lineup tomorrow night (against Dallas) and he’ll have an opportunity to play his best hockey and play more minutes.”
Gleason for the "C" :
Just what do we need to do to make this happen?
Also from Chip at CanesNow (the highlights of the above link)
No decision on whether Gleason or Ward will play tomorrow.
Mo suggested that Dwyer may be back for the Dallas game. Tlusty is still stuck in Canada with immigration issues. Guess those Canadians’ just don’t want to let him go after all.
Gleason for the "C" :
Just what do we need to do to make this happen?
by hockeymomof2 on Dec 15, 2009 12:53 PM EST up reply actions
Tlusty is still stuck in Canada with immigration issues.
You would think he was in some black metal band from Norway. What the hell else does the poor kid need to do to go back to work?
it always burns within
the downward spiral never ends
when driven into sin
your salvation's found in a sinner's deed
by Douchebag St John on Dec 15, 2009 1:12 PM EST up reply actions
poor Leights- he goes from a team that is having a horrible season to a team that is having locker room issues. What’s next, is he going to end up with that joke north of the border, the Toronto Twigs?
by PackPride17 on Dec 15, 2009 1:20 PM EST via mobile reply actions
that team in Toronto is in the playoff mix now, fwiw
by Cory Lavalette on Dec 15, 2009 1:31 PM EST up reply actions
yeah i know, but the organization is still a joke. The resources they have, this should be a consistent cup contender year after year.
Not as easy as some would have us believe, I guess.
by drifterscape on Dec 15, 2009 2:06 PM EST up reply actions
What is the deal with the Philly/Carolina connection?
It seems we’re always trading players and now coaches with Philly. are the two GMs buddies or something?
Rutherford Banking Cash for the Ultimate Sell-Off Sale after this Season by Other Teams
Jim Rutherford is banking cash, pure and simple. Other teams like Chicago have impossible salary cap issues for next season; and they are going to have trade players they really want to keep. It is going to be a buyer’s market for those teams that don’t have boatloads of long term, expensive contracts. I think Rutherford already had a plan in place to transition to younger players set for next year. He was ahead, not behind, the curve with the way he had numerous older players with contracts set to expire this year.
There are four holes that need filling for the Hurricanes next season: (1) superstar forward to go with Staal; (2) scoring winger to go with second or third line; (3) super-sized power forward to add inside presence and to add protection for Boychuk, Sutter, Tlusty if the other teams try to manhandle them; (4) puck moving, scoring defenseman to make the power play work.
(1) Superstar Forward = Taylor Hall or Tyler Seguin (how Seguin and McFarland were cut from Team Canada Juniors is bizarre);
(2) Tlusty = fast, scoring winger
(3) Jumbo Power forward: not yet found and is still a hole to fill via draft or trade or UFA;
(4) puck moving, scoring defenseman: could be Rodney or McBain depending on their development; or could be filled via trade or UFA.
As I see it, with the assumption the Hurricanes don’t manage to mess things up by making a futile run that lands them out of hte playoffs and out of the first three picks, there are only two players Rutherford needs to get the team into serious playoff contention next year. With the cash he is amassing, and with the desperate salary cap situation some other teams will face next year, Jim Rutherford is sitting with all the cards. We might even see the Hurricanes sign a UFA or RFA impact player.
don’t forget the UFAs that will leave…more than 4 holes to fill. I’m not convinced that a rookie and Lusty (the first T is silent) can fill slots (1) and (2), either.
Next Season and Holes to Fill
I listed the UFAs in the fanpost “Cash for Clunkers”, so I won’t copy it here. Cullen, Whitney, and Corvo are UFAs. There are numerous variations and permutations of who could be re-signed or who might waive a NTC. I agree it is a very significant assumption on my part that Tlusty and Taylor Hall or Tyler Seguin are ready next season for top six line minutes. If they can’t or if Bowman isn’t ready to be a top nine player, things get very complicated. I agree that if the young players aren’t ready and need more nurturing time, it could be a wild season in 2010-2011.
My belief is that Tlusty and Taylor Hall in particular will be ready to roll; but then again, I was elated at the Aaron Ward signing, so what do I know?
I’m with you on all those points, and have read the Clunkers post. I think we are already in a very “complicated” situation as 09-10 plays out and the Rats get their chances and the current Canes UFAs play for a new contract. At least we have something to chew over besides whether or not we can catch Washington.
As always, appreciate your insights.
Seguin is a center, and with Nazim Kadri on the team it looks like if Seguin played he’d be the 13th forward.
When it comes to the two I’d prefer Hall, not necessarily because he’s the better player, but because he’s the better fit for the role the team wants to fill.
Also, there’s a lot of youth planned for this team next year, and a lot of guys that could stand another year in the AHL next season. The process may take more than one off-season to bring the team back to competing for the playoffs.
5 seconds left.
Do you believe in miracles?
YES!!
I mostly agree with you. A “stud” forward is needed to help in the goal scoring role. Taylor Hall would be my choice. From what I have read, Seguin is more of a playmaking center. If Hall is selected by the Canes, I would expect him to be on next year’s team, but probably not on the 1st line (at least at the start). He would be a rookie and that might be too much for him right away. I think he would start off in the 2nd or 3rd line LW and move up as the season progresses. If we choose Seguin, I would expect him to start the season in the A or on the 3rd line. He would probably progress to the 1st line with Staal moving to wing (just my opinion).
I think that Boychuk, Tlusty, and possibly Bowman will be our answer to another scoring winger. I still would like to acquire Brunnstrom and resign him to a 1 year deal. See what he can do, he could also play right wing.
A physical power forward would be nice. I watch Buffalo/Montreal last night and Vanek does an unbelievable job of setting up in front of the net and holding his position. Someone that would be willing to do that would be a great addition.
I really want to see a young all-around defenseman that could pair up with Pitkanen. I believe you could match Rodney and Gleason up and have a pretty good pairing there. The problem is trying to find someone that would cover Pits ass when he skates down into the left corner. We will probably have at least 2 kids full time next year. We need to find someone with some NHL experience (I’m not meaning an old defenseman, just someone with some experience).
I guess we’ll find out what JR has in mind, because unfortunately we have no say in what moves they make.
Brunnstrom is a great choice
Brunnstrom is a great choice and has enormous potential. I have a list of 45 or so potential/possible power forwards. Tlusty was on my power forward list before we traded for him. Brunnstrom is very high on my list, so I agree completely with you in that regard. It would take a painful trade to get Brunnstrom, I think. I thought initially it would be Corvo for Brunnstrom; but now I think Corvo is going to be re-signed by Carolina.
Boychuk, Tlusty, and Bowman will be playing well for Carolina next year. Bowman might need a little more time; however, all three might serve as scoring wingers.
I’m not big on Brunnstrom. He’s also overpaid.
by Cory Lavalette on Dec 15, 2009 4:33 PM EST up reply actions
his salary is only $875,000. the rest of that cap hit are those entry level bonuses.
by PackPride17 on Dec 15, 2009 4:41 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
Yeah, but that’s a consideration for this year. Since Corvo (IMO) has more value than simply Brunnstrom, I wouldn’t do that deal.
by Cory Lavalette on Dec 15, 2009 4:56 PM EST up reply actions
you’re probably right that Corvo has more value than Brunnstrom. It was just an idea and like I said earlier – I have no say in what moves JR makes.
by PackPride17 on Dec 15, 2009 5:27 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
Corvo for Brunnstrom and Draft Choices
If one adds draft choices to the deal, that is Corvo for Brunnstrom and draft choices, it gets more appealing. I think there are a number of potential power forwards who deserve consideration as part of a Corvo for power forward trade; but the problem is who is going to replace Corvo in the Hurricanes lineup.
from what I understand (which may be wrong), you would be able to resign him to the RFA 10 percent minimum increase at $962,500. That’s not bad for a player with some speed and potential. I’m not saying he’s the answer, but could be an option.
by PackPride17 on Dec 15, 2009 4:51 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
In my mind Brunnstrom is, like Buff in Chicago, a project. A good team with time can hold on to one of those guys and see what develops. In many respects I think that’s why the Canes took Paradis, they thought they had time to see what happened with his development. I don’t think you take on projects on a re-building team if you want to do it correctly. For every Datsyuk and Zetterburg there are 100 players who never make the AHL, let along the NHL.
Now, if this team was leading the league then some of those projects wouldn’t be that bad. But I can’t get behind any of those moves when faced with a re-building. If you take a chance with your top picks you end up like the Thrashers or the Panthers.
5 seconds left.
Do you believe in miracles?
YES!!
I get what you’re saying and I agree he is a project. If you trade a player to Dallas that you don’t intend to resign (maybe Corvo), you’re not losing that much if he fails. At $962,000, you could put him on the 2nd or 3rd line, if he doesn’t work out then stick him on the 4th, scratch him or trade him. My thoughts on rebuilding are that you’re going to take risk on some players (like rookies) and hope they develop into quality players. There is no guarntee that Bowman, Boychuk, McBain, etc. ever develop – that the whole idea of rebuilding IMO.
by PackPride17 on Dec 15, 2009 5:08 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
Somebody to Pair with Pitkanen and Power Forward
Great point. Pitkanen is a force of nature player; but he has so much skating skill, he takes some intense risks. He really needs to be paired with a skating defenseman who can cover when Pitkanen skates deep into the zone.
The supersized power forward is going to be a necessary player for the Hurricanes to be a deterrent for other teams hammering the young scoring forwards like Tlusty, Boychuk, Sutter, and Bowman. We need a Tim Gleason personality at forward to make the price of taking advantage of the young Albany Rats so high nobody will transgress.
LOL, yup that’s why he is saying he screwed up and is sorry. He planned all the way to suck soooo bad that he’d get a draft pick, yet all the while being under cover and looking like they were gonna make a run and spending near the cap…
Give it a rest, lay off the Koolaid. No plan, JR blew it. The contracts expiring are what they are, happens every year. The one that matters is Rods and it ain’t expiring. Arguably the most expensive piece to your puzzle, of which you give JR credit, is getting the killer draft pick. Hmmm throw a whole season away for a draft pick?…
Hahahahahahahaha, I get it, you were joking!
A
The Canes are like a box of expired chocolates......
Having an Exit Strategy or Having a Plan B
I think it is not rocket science for any NHL GM to look at his roster and figure out which guys are over 32 years old. Rutherford as of last season was talking about the upcoming need to rebuild, which was not shocking news given the average age on the team. One also has to remember that in order to get key players for the Stanley Cup Run in 2005-2006, the Hurricanes traded prospects.
I certainly don’t think Rutherford traded for Aaron Ward to deliberately tank the season; but I think it is pretty clear that Rutherford carefully considered which contracts he wanted to end this year. Again, Rutherford discussed the upcoming UFAs last year. Rutherford also was vocal about the fact teams were taking huge chances in entering into too many career-long contracts.
It would be irresponsible of any GM not to have an exit strategy for each season — that is the strategy for how to cope with a meltdown season. The Hurricanes already have had one meltdown season, so it was obvious such a disaster could hit.
Even so, whether Jim Rutherford was thoughtful in his plan, as I believe he was, or just hit some blind luck, the table is set for the Hurricanes. It was the subject of pre-season discussion here at Canes Country that the Hurricanes long term might be best served if fate deal them a horrible season. So here we are in the throes of that horrible season; and some of us are obsessively planning the exit strategy into next season and beyond. Let’s get Taylor Hall and in my little world, this season would be memorable and worthwhile.
Look, A-Dog, you are one of the few here I think has a clue. While not my true beliefs, I am rather negative on JR. BUT, and I mean in a big way, the indictment you are handing down is worthy of the death penalty. I have cast the stones that he was arrogant and made mistakes. You on the other hand are laying an 80 million+ crucifiction on him. Now he ain’t my favorite GM, but I also don’t believe he is either evfil or a total FU. While I like the softness of the last post, I will need more to believe that this man actually intended to to smoke $80 million dollars or more on a simple prospect and the opportun ity at the FA game.
So let’s take this one step at a time.
First and foremost, JR obviously didn’t have faith in the youth program. We can use the non existant training camp, no red/white game/ and shit for a preseason as rock hard truth.
If he were to believe we were going to rebuild or any form of reconsructuring within the next couple years, he would of used the small window of opportinity ty to see where the kids were at that point. Instaed the whole enchilada was pissed away.
Next would be the signings. If he were to envision whatever you think he does, anybody that has a pulse and an IQ above 30 would of looked to sign bridge and gap players. Not Yelle and probably would of looked at a short term with Seids and maybe eve n Babs. They were in house, AWard was not needed in any way shape of form.
Next is the simple fact of no pulse when it came apart. 14 games and nothing anywhere. That lack is in bold italics. No plan, nothing. The wheels came off and JR was along for the ride.
The last thing I will bring up now is the simple fact that there is absolutely no way any pro sports team would allow a GM to tank a season and the fan base, piss away more than 80 million dollars on a friggin draft pick and a FA pool.
You can drink all the Koolaid you want, but it will take alot more than some soft prose to get me to believe that JR is this incompetent. Crosby’s contract isn’t at this level, ao’s ain’t, nobody’s is. Uh, uh, not hiwe plan. He FUBAR’d the deal and is getting lucky in his opportunity’s, noty rock solid rewsults by any means. He fell in shit and the stars have aligned and maybe we the fans get something soon, but no way he had a clue. Not to mention it ain’t played out yet.
A
The Canes are like a box of expired chocolates......
I absolutely could be mistaken; and I don’t suggest in any fashion that Rutherford started the season thinking it was a good time to come in 30th in the NHL. To the contrary, I am confident he believed that by adding Aaron Ward and Alberts he had obtained the size and physicality on defense that was needed to compete with Pittsburgh. Yelle was supposed to be the steady veteran on the fourth line.
Every instinct would say that Babchuk was not the essential piece without which the Hurricanes would be 30th. Similarly, Seidenberg was quite good as an all around defender, but Malkin used him throughout the playoffs. Seidenberg’s agent vastly overpriced Seidenberg, which led to Seidenberg getting a one year deal for not that much more than the Hurricanes were offering.
I think the short pre-season was supposed to work to let the veterans come in fresh to the season and make a full fledge run at the Stanley Cup. The idea was that the talented prospects would have a year to gell in Albany.
That plan did not work; and it failed entirely and completely for reasons well-discussed in Canes Country and elsewhere. Plan B was to start the rebuilding a year early. Plan A was the much preferred plan. Plan B is the reality we face.
From my point of view, I felt the Hurricanes would never reach their full potential as a team until it obtained another superstar. The quickest and surest path to the additonal superstar is the draft.
I want to emphasize, I concede you may be 100% accurate and that I am totally incorrect. I have been wrong so often it is a habit with me.
HA! As usual, I agree with most of that. The wrinkle in my panties is that you think JR actualy planned any of this. He “planned” that a veteran team would make a deep run and make the youth transition/rebuild easier and faster. He made a 100% commitment and made a 100% mistake. He had no plan B, it was inevitable. The omniscience you are crediting JR with is my singular bitch with your line of thinking.
Here’s one for you. No Cole, keep Willy, no Ward, keep Seids.
Woulda, shoulda, coulda. That would only of helped, but would it make a diff? I think not enough. I think last year Mo milked the last ounce of juice out of this team. This team needs to be rebuilt and sweeping wholsale changes are due.
That said, I think the org. is sitting in an interesting position with many an opportunity.
i do not believe there was any prescience involved at all, at any level, in any shape or form of any kind.
JR screwed the pooch, failed, was rewarded in kind with a shit year. Now, after the fact, the circumstances are evolving into a potential opportunity.
Symantics aside, my 2 greatest concerns going forward are Mo being the right guy (case and point about prescience) and Rod’s black hole of ability and money.
A
The Canes are like a box of expired chocolates......
Your continued insistence that there was no Plan B reveals a lack of business acumen…or blatant and compulsive pot-stirring, one.
There’s always a Plan B. Always.
elskling and I talked about it before the season began, hating to wish bad things upon them, but realizing that there was opportunity to capture value for FA contracts that were expiring for this summer’s remake. Cory wrote a column about it before the season began.
But, keep saying there wasn’t one. Serves as fair warning to others.
Piss away over 70 million and I am bad at business.
Keep thinking it, drink the Koolaid, big dady JR has everything under control, look how well things have gone this year..
Plan B? Another Plan B of this well thought out kind and you can kiss this franchise goodbye.
A
The Canes are like a box of expired chocolates......
Best of luck to Leighton. I truly feel like the deck was stacked against him here.
And worst of luck to Ward. I would send him to Albany this afternoon.
Aaron Ward to Albany
Aaron Ward to Albany. I really hate to feel this way about A. Ward, but I would put him on a Greyhound bus to Albany tonight.
Does A.Ward have to be sent to Albany in order to be put on re-entry waivers?
A TRUE CANIAC......YES I AM........
I am fine with Albany or re-entry. I am not so psyched about this serving as a warning shot ala Yelle.
I agree,
I think Yelle would stand in front of a freight train if it were shooting a puck.
Happerry Chrisolkwanaka
Agreed
I like Yelle. I think that was more of a team warning than anything else.
I didn’t like Ward much the first time he played for us, and any shred of respect I had for him was lost during the playoffs last year. I can’t wait for him to be gone.
Since a player was placed on waivers can he be placed on re-entry waivers at any time afterwards or is there a certain time period? Example, for Yelle, not that I want him to be, but can he be placed on re-entry waivers now or does he have to start the prcocess again on waivers?
I know they have ten games in order to do something. After they play 10 games they do not have to clear waivers again. I assume they have to put him on re-entry waivers before the 10 game mark.
A TRUE CANIAC......YES I AM........
I guess over at Broad Street Hockey (Flyers site) they’re not to happy with this move. They sorta feel like they’ve been there done that before attitude. They blame Peter for this and the whole Grahame tryout.
A TRUE CANIAC......YES I AM........
All I know is I totally called it.
Granted when I said the Flyers had goaltending issues I didn’t think they would be going after Grahame AND Leighton in DECEMBER……
Let’s not forget it was Lavi who saddled us with Grahame for two solid. When it was clear after about a half that he wasn’t getting it done.
by drifterscape on Dec 15, 2009 7:58 PM EST up reply actions
Goodbye crappy Leighton and still stuck with A. Ward.
M. Leighton has been a bust and he was given his chance on a couple of occasions in Raleigh and never did anything. The guy is not a NHL caliber goaltender period b/c he is way to inconsistent give me a old worn out M. Legace over a young Leighton with all of this so called upside and talent. Oh and by the way enough about talking about all this talent and upside b/c Leighton has been in the league long enough and their is only so much waiting a team can do.
A. Ward we are stuck with b/c he is way over paided and no longer in his prime to be starting for a NHL team. Ward has no speed, or puck control skills anymore (not that he had a whole lot to begin with).
This whole season is just proof that you cannot pull a Bobby Cox and the ATL Braves (forgive me for the baseball reference) and go back a few years removed from winning the big game and try to do it again with the same guys with more wear and mileage on the tires.
Oh well their is always next season but hey at-least the trade deadline is going to be exciting for us this season.
Go Canes Fire Maurice NOW
by Holty_Panthers_Fan on Dec 15, 2009 10:06 PM EST reply actions
Good luck Leights!!! Couldn’t we have made a 2 for 1 deal with Philly?? like a buy one get one free with Leights and A Ward?
"That’s what happens when you suck" - Tim Gleason
Final decision on A. Ward will be handed down tonight. Brought here with loads of expectations, he knows haven’t been met. Put on waivers, meaning we do not want him, cleared waivers meaning nobody else wanted him…..Whats in A. Wards head… I am done, or I am gonna go out in style, I IMHO believe he will step up like the “D” man he can be, play like there is no tomorrow ( because most likely there isn’t ). Since Brindy was scratched, the negative chatter here has died down a bit, he must be doing something a bit better.( the people here are the biggest fans) A. Ward is here and mostly likely here to stay, Back him and hope for the best. We get to watch NHL HOCKEY, up close.. God I love this sport. Ho,Ho,Ho GO CANES’
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