The Great Goalie Conundrum

Everyone has been beating this subject to death so I figured it was my turn. Ray Emery or Michael Leighton? That is the question right now. First some stats:

Michael Leighton:
'09-'10 Season: 18GP; 15 Starts; 9-4-1; 2.99GAA; .897 Save%; 1 SO
Since with Flyers: 11GP; 10 Starts; 8-0-1; 2.22GAA; .920 Save%; 1 SO

Ray Emery:
'09-'10 Season: 21GP; 21 Starts; 11-8-1; 2.83GAA; .900 Save%; 1 SO

Between the two and only counting games played with the Flyers, hands down Leighton gets the nod. The only issue is, Emery's stats are slightly effected by his injury, and he was the starter before going down to injury for a month. To my knowledge, pretty much no goalie will lose his starting job because of an injury. I still, to this day believe a lot of the terrible play right before he had his surgury was due to the fact that he was only playing at about 75% of what he could because he was in so much pain. Also, everyone, even the Flyers organization has said that he is better than Leighton when it comes to pure skill. Now onto Leighton.

Leighton was having an atrocious year with Carolina, who is also a TERRIBLE team. They didn't have anything on defense to help push shooters to the outside or even block shots. Leighton was an easy pick-up because Laviolette knew the skill he had, but he has never been given the chance and has pretty much never had much of a defensive team in front of him. So let's bring in Leights right when Powe, Betts and Gagne (offense mainly) get back into the lineup and help our team tremendously in the defensive aspect of the game. WIth that said, he has done what he needs to do. Don't hate me and I'm not hating on him, but a lot of goalies could do what he has been doing with the team he has in front of him. Lately a few of the goals he has given up were what you would call "soft". Just the other night, I believe it was the Toronto game, he gave up one to a player that just cut into the slot and shot to the post with no screen on Leighton, who was not in good position so it went straight in. Still, he has done what he needs to do and has made some huge saves to keep us in games and let us pull away on the scoreboard. Everyone is high on him right now and of course your going to stay with the hot hand. Especially since he has still not taken a regulation loss in 10 games, which is the first time in a very long time a Flyers goalie has played his first 10 games with us and not lost one in regulation.

So to my opinion. I love Leights and believe just as everyone else, including Emery, that he should get the starts until he looses. But as soon as that first loss hits, in goes Emery and he deserves at least 5 or 6 starts to prove himself again and get his job "back". With the way this team is playing, either goalie can win these games, but when it comes to a game that needs to be stolen by a goalie, such as a shutout or only 1 goal game, I believe Emery can do that, not so much for Leights. I'm just happy to see we finally have a GOALIE situation that is good and not bad.

As for Boosh, have fun in Adirondack and keep those skills in check, we will find you a good team that you can play bench warmer for and back-up when needed. I love you Boosh, but you just can't hang with the other two right now.

On that note, LET'S GO FLYERS!!!