FLYERS: Ville Leino is Having Hip Issues

After sitting out for a game and a practice over the last week, Ville Leino’s lower-body condition was starting to raise red flags. A team source told the Daily News that Leino is struggling with an injury to his surgically repaired hip; he was sustained on Feb. 15 in Tampa Bay.

Leino, 27, had the hip repaired in a detailed offseason surgery but had no ill effects this season. He spent most of last summer on crutches.

The source said Leino on Monday had an injection of synvisc, a fluid that acts as a lubrication to the hip joint, which caused him to miss practice. Leino scored his 14th goal of the season on Tuesday against Phoenix in one of his best games over the last month.

- Frank Seravalli, Philadelphia Daily News

…Uh-oh. This is obviously not a good thing. Maybe the Flyers try to pick up another forward? Or maybe some playing time for Nik Zherdev? I guess we just wait and see if Leinos hip can hold up – hopefully – until June.

For more, check out this post from Broad Street Hockey.

FLYERS: Ville Leino is a Team Player

LEINO SETS ASIDE SALARY TALKS SO FLYERS CAN ADD VERSTEEG

…I like Ville Leino now even more than I already did. In this day and age, it’s rare that an athlete sacrifices potential cashflow for the betterment of the team, but that’s exactly what Leino did here. He saw the chance of Kris Versteeg joining the Flyers as a potential final piece to a Stanley Cup puzzle, and told Homer to forget about contract negotiations now and add the former Cup champ with Chicago. The Flyers had better find a way to get Leino back into the fold this off-season, because after a self-less move like that, the Finn deserves it.

FLYERS: Leino Has Contract Offers on the Table

Several sources tell CSNPhilly.com that the Flyers are offering a three and four-year contract worth between $9 million and $12 million, depending upon length.

At least one prominent executive in the Flyers organization believes the 27-year-old right wing won’t get a better deal in unrestricted free agency this July than what the Flyers are offering.

 

- Tim Panaccio, CSNPhilly.com

…Locking up Leino before season’s end would only boost the chemistry and atmosphere in that dressing room as the playoffs loom on the horizon. He’s been so key to Danny Briere’s revitalization, and it’s hard to imagine that the Flyers won’t come to some sort of agreement to keep him in Orange and Black for the near future.

 

FLYERS: Panaccio’s Week in Review

PANACCIO’S FLYERS WEEK IN REVIEW: JAN 31-FEB 6

…Pretty interesting that the Costa Rica Line (Briere, Hartnell, Leino) is a -3 as a whole since the All-Star Break. They haven’t looked all that dominant since the lay-off, save Leino’s two-goal performance against Nashville on Thursday.

FLYERS: Leino Comes Up Huge

VILLE LEINO BREAKS OUT AS FLYERS BEAT PREDATORS

…Ville Leino had two HUGE goals last night, including the game-winner, and he and Jeff Carter were the Flyers’ two best players last night. Leino’s second goal – which turned out to be the GWG – was awesome. He successfully pulled off a spin-o-rama, essentially rendering Anders Lindback’s attempt at stopping his shot useless. It’s also important to note who was defending him on that goal: Ryan Suter and Shea Weber, two of the best defensemen in the game today. Hopefully Leino can keep it going Saturday against Dallas.

FLYERS: Leino Leads NHL Forwards in +/-

http://www.kuklaskorner.com/index.php/psh/comments/leinos/ <–Click this link to view the Kukla's Korner article.

…What a steal Ville Leino was by General Manager Paul Homgren last season, when Homer snatched him from the grasp of the Detroit Red Wings for a below-average defenseman in Ole-Kristian Tollefsen, and a late draft pick.

Leino set Flyers playoff records during last Spring’s incredible run, and this year he’s picked up where he left off last season. Leino has become even more of a threat, serving as a third of one of the more dangerous lines in the league, as he and Scott Hartnell flank center Danny Briere. Hartnell’s crash-the-net mentality, coupled with Briere’s speed and scoring ability, have complemented the Finn very well, allowing him the ability to serve as the unit’s top playmaker. It is my hope, just like anyone else who has a rooting interest in the Flyers, that Leino is locked up for the near future as soon as possible by Homer.

FLYERS: More Production From the Wingers Needed

The Flyers defensive unit finally slid out of a funk last night against the Islanders as Chris Pronger (2 goals) and Kimmo Timonen (1 goal) scored the first goals of the season by members of the team’s blue line. It now appears that problem has been solved – for the time being – but there still remains a concern over the team’s lack of production from their wingers.

JVR is among a host of Flyers wingers who need to step it up offensively

It’s been harped upon time and time again: the Flyers need someone, anyone, to step up and off-set the loss of one of the best wingers the franchise has ever had in Simon Gagne. While Danny Briere and Claude Giroux – two centers – have had incredible starts offensively for the Orange and Black, there still lacks a constant production from the players who man the wings. Scott Hartnell is looking far better than he did at this point last season, and Ville Leino appears to be getting his legs back under him after off-season hip surgery, but players like James van Riemsdyk and Nikolay Zherdev need to start finding the back of the net to supply the Flyers with a larger dose of secondary scoring. Zherdev has been so unimpressive thus far that he’s spent the last two games in a suit as a healthy scratch.

The Flyers’ wingers are a strong group on paper, but just haven’t been there all that much statistically this season thus far. Of course, it’s early, and it’s hard to believe that they won’t come around, but questions start to linger the longer it takes for such an event to happen. Hopefully more wingers can find the score sheet come tomorrow’s contest against Carolina.

Sam Carchidi offers his take on the lack of scoring from the wings thus far this season right here: INSIDE THE FLYERS: LOOKING FOR SCORING FROM THE WINGS

FLYERS: Player Report Cards – Ville Leino

NAME: Ville Leino

POSITION: Left Wing

Regular Season Statistics (w/PHI): 13 Games Played – 2 Goals, 2 Assists, 4 Points. +2.

Analysis: I remember exactly where I was when the Flyers acquired Ville Leino: sitting in a production trailer in Vancouver, British Columbia, preparing for NBC’s production of Men’s Ice Hockey for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games. I saw the update on Twitter and I was ecstatic. No, not at the fact that they acquired Leino – all I knew about him was that he was a solid Finn who was left off their Olympic roster – but the fact that they had finally rid themselves of an awful off-season signing in Ole-Kristian Tollefsen. He was atrocious during his time in Philadelphia and I didn’t care what the Flyers got for him, I was just glad to see him go. As it turns out, early on in Leino’s stint as a Flyer, he didn’t impress all that much. Head coach Peter Laviolette seemed reluctant to insert Leino into the line-up and instead kept him as a healthy scratch for the better part of time after the Flyers acquired him. As a result, Leino was rarely heard from and much less seen in Orange and Black.

Postseason Statistics: 19 Games Played – 7 Goals, 14 Assists, 21 Points. +10.

Analysis: Leino’s fortunes changed for the better when he was inserted into the line-up as an injury replacement for Game Five of the Flyers’ Eastern Conference Quarterfinal against the New Jersey Devils. Jeff Carter was injured blocking a shot in Game Four, and once Leino got in on the playoff action, he never came out again. Leino would play every single playoff game from that point forward for the Flyers, and won the hearts of many fans in the process. His skills were on full display and many were easily shown why this man was once the Finnish Elite League’s MVP – he was that good. In fact, Leino set the Flyers’ rookie scoring record during the teams’ postseason run, shattering the old record formerly held by Brian Propp, and tied the NHL rookie scoring record alongside Dino Ciccarelli with 21 points in only 19 games. Leino will be a free agent after this next season, but unless there is some dramatic dropoff, expect #22 to be in Orange and Black with the Flyers for a long time.

FINAL GRADE: B

Reasoning: Leino was incredible in the postseason, there’s no doubting that. Of course, he didn’t exactly get the opportunity beforehand to prove himself to the Flyers as his regular season playing time was incredibly limited, but Leino still was strong when he was counted on the most. I’m reluctant to give Leino anything higher than a “B” simply because he hasn’t been here for more than a year yet, and although it’s easy to say he’s now accepted across Flyerdom, I need more time with Leino to truly get a feel for him. He’s going to be great for the Flyers if he continues to play at a level like he did in the playoffs, but is that possible? Will we see this Leino again next season, or will we see the one that floundered in Detroit? I’m a little nervous to find out to be honest, but I’m positive that Leino can be good here and good for a long, long time. It’s just a matter of him wanting to be.

FLYERS: Chicago Runs Flyers Over in 7-4 Rout

The Chicago Blackhawks knew that if they had to come back to Philadelphia down 3-2 in the 2010 Stanley Cup Final, their chances of a comeback were slim to none. Instead, the ‘Hawks played like their lives depended on it and destroyed the Flyers in Game Five by a final score of 7-4.

Chicago celebrates Kris Versteeg's first period goal

Much like the 5-3 final of Game Four that went in the Flyers’ favor, the three goal cushion the Blackhawks had when this game went final didn’t even do their total domination justice. Antti Niemi was very ordinary tonight in goal for Chicago, but fortunately for him Michael Leighton was the recipient of some bad bounces, and Brian Boucher couldn’t hold down the fort. The forwards and defense for Chicago completely wanted it more, and battled hard all game long as a result. The Flyers were tentative – they let the Blackhawks dictate the play early on and that set the tone for a domination by the ‘Hawks as the game continued to wear down. The Flyers got it to two goals twice: down 3-1 in the first minute of the second period, and down 6-4 with a little less than ten minutes to play in the third. Still, that was more a factor of Niemi not being very good more than it was the Flyers actually generating serious offense.

The Blackhawks came out flying in the first period, scoring three unanswered goals, and controlling the shots by a margin of 13-7. Many Flyers said that after the game the first period they had just played in was one of the worst periods – if not the worst – this team has played the entire season, let alone playoffs. The scary thing is that it couldn’t have happened at a worse time. Brent Seabrook got the scoring started on a goal that has become creepily typical of Blackhawk goals this series – a deflection. A Seabrook wrister unfortunately deflected off of Chris Pronger’s skate – who was trying to block the shot – and snuck into a tiny hole that had opened up when the puck changed direction past Michael Leighton’s right pad at 12:17 of the first period on the power play. The ‘Hawks weren’t done, however, as just three minutes later, another crazy carom saw the puck go from Dave Bolland’s stick behind the net to the back of Leighton’s skate and into the net for a goal that made the score 2-0 Chicago. In a period that Chicago dominated, the ‘Hawks were not yet done, as Kris Versteeg found the back of the net through a screen and under Leighton’s glove to give the Blackhawks what seemed like an insurmountable 3-0 lead. It was just that.

JVR beats Niemi to make it 5-3 Chicago in the third

The second period opened with a glimmer of hope for the Flyers and their fans, as Scott Hartnell picked up a loose puck in the crease to make it 3-1 Flyers just 32 seconds into the frame. Brian Boucher also entered the game for Leighton, who was pulled after giving up three goals in the first. The Flyers started to control the play a bit in the beginning of the period and there was reason to think that a comeback was entirely possible. That was, of course, until Danny Briere did not pick up his man – Patrick Kane – who got a beautiful back-door pass from Andrew Ladd to break the Flyers’ backs and make the score 4-1 Chicago. The goal proved even that much more crucial when Kimmo Timonen roofed a rebound in front to cut the Blackhawks’ lead to 4-2 just a minute and a half later. The Flyers chances then began to mount, but failed opportunities in front of a wide open net from Ville Leino and Mike Richards proved even more costly, when Dustin Byfuglien scored his first of the game on the powerplay to make it 5-2 Chicago and, for all extensive purposes, put this game out of reach.

The Flyers showed a little fight in the third period, as James van Riemsdyk scored his first goal of the Stanley Cup Final on another bad rebound from Niemi and made the score 5-3, but, like the Orange and Black did in Philadelphia, it was the Blackhawks that answered back in a big way Sunday night, as Patrick Sharp beat Brian Boucher to make the score back to a three goal margin, now at 6-3. Simon Gagne got one back for the Flyers, as Ville Leino – really the only forward that gave a complete effort tonight – made a great individual play to get the puck to Gagne who was wide open to put the puck in the empty net. At 6-4 with less than three minutes left, there was hope, but not much. All that hope was diminished when Dustin Byfuglien buried an empty netter for his second of the game and locked up a 7-4 Game Five victory for the ‘Hawks as well as a 3-2 series lead.

The Blackhawks celebrate their Game Five win

This game was not about any one player in particular, although many other articles you’ll read will want to make it seem that way. In short, the Blackhawks as a team wanted this game a helluva lot more than the Flyers. As a deserving result, Chicago is now just one win away from a date with Lord Stanley. That could happen Wednesday night in Philadelphia, where I’ll be in attendance. However, if the Flyers get their way, all eyes and bodies will be back in Chicago for a decisive Game Seven.

It’s a pretty simple equation for the Flyers at this point: win two games and a row and you are the 2010 Stanley Cup Champions. Lose a game before you win two, and it’s all over. Let’s hope the first option is the reality come Friday night. Get the ball rolling Wednesday, boys.

FLYERS: Home Mojo Propels Orange and Black to Series Tie

Down 0-2 to arguably the most talented team in the National Hockey League and facing two must-win games on your home ice to keep your Stanley Cup hopes alive? Not a problem.

The Philadelphia Flyers handled their end of the bargain last night as their 5-3 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks allowed them to even up their series at two games a piece. The Flyers also took Game Three in dramatic fashion, with Claude Giroux scoring the winner in overtime to bring the series to 2-1 Chicago. The series was 2-0 heading into Philadelphia, as the Blackhawks also held serve on their home ice, taking Games One and Two in the United Center. The Flyers knew a Game Four loss could potentially end their season, as they’d be staring down a 3-1 series deficit with Chicago having the opportunity to win the Stanley Cup on home ice in Game Five. That is no longer the case.

Instead, this series will at least go six games, and to many experts, now seems destined for a seventh and decisive game next Friday night in Chicago. Of course, the result of Game Five will largely dictate the possibility of a Game Seven. For now however, it’s all about what happened in Game Four to get this series even.

An old face returned to the Flyers line-up in Game Four, as James van Riemsdyk took back Dan Carcillo’s spot in the Flyers’ line-up. Some new faces made their way into the Chicago line-up, as Andrew Ladd returned from an upper-body injury he sustained in Game Four of the Western Conference Final and Nick Boynton played in his first playoff game in five years, replacing Jordan Hendry on the Blackhawks’ blue-line. The ‘Hawks new additions were a plus to their new strategy: heavy neutral zone pressure on the Flyers and continue to force turnovers. While the ‘Hawks strategy was effective, the Flyers continuously had answers for Chicago.

Richards is congratulated on his PP goal that opened the scoring in Game Four

Andrew Ladd welcomed himself to the game and the series by promptly taking an undisciplined interference penalty just 36 seconds into the contest, effectively putting the Flyers on the power play. While Chicago did kill off the penalty, the early damage was certainly done, and the Flyers had established a flow to their liking early on. After killing the penalty, some great back and forth action followed, with Chicago suddenly seeming to get their way with the flow of play. It wasn’t long however, before the Blackhawks took another stupid penalty and put the Flyers back on the powerplay. This time, the Orange and Black made them pay. With a little over fifteen minutes to play in the first, Niklas Hjarlmarsson looked to clear the puck from his end on the penalty kill. He was stripped of the puck on a great hustle play by Mike Richards, who immediately swung to the front of the net, and sent a backhander in on an off-guard Antti Niemi. Niemi let the puck slip through his five-hole and Richards gave the Flyers the 1-0 lead in the game.

The remainder of the first period was very back and forth, save a few chances here and there that either Niemi and Michael Leighton each turned away. The period appeared to be heading to intermission 1-0 Flyers, until a crazy final five minutes totally opened up the scoring. Matt Carle scored on another defensive zone turnover by Hjarlmarsson, as he deposited the puck into an empty net with a little over five minutes left in the first. Just four minutes later, a bouncing puck in the Philadelphia end found its way to Patrick Sharp who let fly with a slap-shot from the slot, beating Michael Leighton after the puck hit a few bodies on its way in and making the game 2-1 Flyers. An uneasy feeling came over the Wachovia Center. However, just 51 seconds later, the Flyers answered back. With only 37 seconds left in the first period, Scott Hartnell, Kimmo Timonen, and Claude Giroux played a little tick-tack-toe and Giroux completed the slam dunk to deposit the puck into the back of the net and give the Flyers a very important goal and very important 3-1 lead heading into the first intermission.

Claude Giroux's slam dunk put the Flyers up 3-1 in the first period

The second period was scoreless, but it certainly didn’t lack intensity. Up and down action followed, with three penalties being called on Chicago in the period, and one penalty being called on Philadelphia. The Blackhawks held control of the shot totals in the second, much like they did in the first. In the second frame, shots were 13-10 Chicago, and in the first, the ‘Hawks lead 11-8. Still, although the pressure was there from Chicago, Michael Leighton stood tall for the Flyers. Leighton wasn’t excellent in this game, but he made a few saves that we’re pretty incredible, and he got the win, so it’s important to give credit where it’s due. Antti Niemi, on the other hand, finally showed his true colors. Pucks at the net and pressure in front will expose true weaknesses of any goaltender, especially one that, as I said earlier, was just getting flat-out lucky in making saves. Don’t get me wrong, Niemi’s a strong netminder and the likelihood of the ‘Hawks being in the position their in without him is definitely in doubt, but pucks that he had no business stopping – let alone seeing – just seemed to hit him the first three games. Not so much last night.

Jeff Carter congratulates Michael Leighton on the Game Four win

In the third, the Flyers got an incredibly fortuitous bounce off Kris Versteeg’s back on a Ville Leino wrister to give them what appeared at the time to be an insurmountable 4-1 lead. The Blackhawks didn’t give up though, and thanks to two marginal calls on the Flyers with under ten minutes left, the ‘Hawks were awarded a 5 on 3 power play. It took them all of about 20 seconds before Dave Bolland made the score 4-2 in favor of Philadelphia. The Flyers fortunately were able to kill of the remaining part of the 5 on 4, but the ‘Hawks had taken over the game at that point. About four minutes later, a Brian Campbell wrister hit just about every player on the ice before trickling past Michael Leighton to make the game 4-3 and Flyers fans immediately started to get very nervous. The Flyers, however, withstood a remarkable onslaught from the Blackhawks in the final four and a half minutes, getting some big takeaways in the defensive zone accompanied by some huge saves from Leighton. The Flyers fortunes changed for the better when a rebound off a Patrick Sharp shot hopped over the stick of Duncan Keith at the ‘Hawks blue line, springing Jeff Carter loose on a breakaway at an empty net, as Chicago had pulled Niemi for the extra attacker. Carter scored his first goal of the series to make it 5-3 Flyers and seal the deal to even this series back up at two a piece.

Now, the pressure shifts back to Chicago, who will need to find a way to take Game Five at home. We all know the last thing any player on the Blackhawks wants to do is come back to Philadelphia with their season on the line. Let’s hope the Flyers can make that exactly the scenario tomorrow night.