Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Posted: 12:06 p.m.Updated: 8:11 p.m.
By Tim Panaccio CSNPhilly.com
Michael Leighton, the Flyers playoff hero of a year ago, returned to the team on Wednesday after clearing re-entry waivers.
He is available to play immediately, although the Flyers initial plans will have him as the third man behind playoff starter Sergei Bobrovsky and backup Brian Boucher.
Leighton will practice with the Flyers on Thursday.
Im happy, Leighton said. Things have been going well down at Adirondack, lately. When I heard I was being placed on waivers I was a little bit scared of getting picked up. But I cleared and this is what I wanted. I wanted to be back here in time for the playoffs.
The 29-year-old was 14-12-1 with a 2.22 goals against average and a .926 save percentage in 30 games for the Phantoms. He posted five shutouts, including his last two consecutive appearances.
His game has improved greatly since his only NHL appearance this season, a 7-4 win at Los Angeles on Dec. 30.
NHL
As soon as I went down Jan. 3, that was the goal, the idea, to get my game back, he said. To get back to where I was last season.
When I first went down, I was just feeling OK, Five, 10 games to get comfortable. The last three, four weeks its been fun. The teams been winning. Ive had success and felt a lot better about my game.
While the Flyers wanted to get Leighton a game this weekend before the playoffs begin, it now appears that plan has been scrapped because the club is suddenly in a precarious position of possibly dropping to the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference.
Barely a day ago, the Flyers were ranked first in the East. Yet, a 5-2 loss at Ottawa knocked them down to second as Washington defeated Toronto, moving the Caps to the top seed.
Leightons season died the first weekend of October when he was placed on long-term injury because of a herniated disk in his back that required surgery.
The Flyers remain concerned about his back issues and off-ice rehab, but his numbers obviously suggest it hasnt been an issue in the net.
My back is really good and I havent had any problems with it since I went down and Ive played many games in a row, sometimes, three in three and four in five nights, Leighton said.
I wasnt sore or that it was bothering me. Right now, Im close to 100 percent. Thats good for me.
He said the club had not outlined a plan for him, as of yet.
Im happy for the opportunity, he said of being with the Flyers for the playoffs.
In 27 games last season, Leighton was 16-5-2 with a 2.48 GAA and a .918 save percentage. He went 8-3 in the playoffs with three shutouts, posting a 2.46 GAA and .916 save percentage.
Were it not for him, the Flyers would never have been in position to reach the Stanley Cup Final last June.
Also on Wednesday, the Flyers returned Ben Holmstrom to the Phantoms.
E-mail Tim Panaccio at tpanotch@comcast.net
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