Nothing in that article says leighton hid an injury. Apparently the author has little experience in dealing with these injuries. I personally have undergone spinal fusion. Discs often times start out bulging. The normal treatment is rest and physical therapy at that point. Leighton complained of the issue and that is indicated in the article. He followed the doctors advice and it seems like the issue went away. Training camp starts and sometime into it, he has a herniated disc now, there's absolutely nothing unusual about this. Here's the thing the disc could have herniated while he rested over the summer. When he resumed physical activity the disc probably became inflamed thus prompting medical staff to co duct further testing. A herniated disc becomes a problem when it either is inflamed or pushes on a nerve causing a radiculapathy. The series of events that the article described sounds a lot like what many people with this problem go through. If there's an issue here it could be that the flyers signed him with a bulging disc in his back.
- JoeRussomanno

at the time there was a lot of talk saying that he had surgery without the flyers knowing about it until after they reupped his contract.

do i know that's true or not? no, but even without i don't get why they signed him again. WITH the injury, sneaky surgery or no, i REALLY don't get it.

I'd say things started going south for him when Winnipeg absolutely ripped him apart in relief of Bobrovsky in the first meeting of the season (before they played in Tampa) , one game after the Habs strafed him for a five-spot.

But the reason why Bryzgalov shouldn't play in Winnipeg isn't to shield him so much as it is the nature of the road trip. Bryzgalov has played in every game but one, the game will be the third game of a 3-in-4, one night after playing in Toronto. It just makes more sense to give Boucher that game, with another 3-in-4 and then a game against the Penguins following it up.
- bmeltzer

we agree

The problem is that he is going to have a lot of leverage in terms of either negotiating an extension after this season or opting for unrestricted free agency in the summer of 2014. Giroux, Couturier and Brayden Schenn will be RFAs after next season.

As such, the Flyers are going to be in a bind with Read, not all that different from the situation that forced them to part ways with R.J. Umberger when they really wanted to keep him.
- bmeltzer

I said it already that I could see them moving Read or another forward to keep him if they wanted to go that way.

For those who didn't see it, Flyers have officially recalled Brian Boucher. They are saying Leighton has a upper-body injury.

For those who didn't see it, Flyers have officially recalled Brian Boucher. They are saying Leighton has a upper-body injury.
- bmeltzer

ahhh thanks bill, i thought you were subconsciously expressing my wishes

For those who didn't see it, Flyers have officially recalled Brian Boucher. They are saying Leighton has a upper-body injury.
- bmeltzer

From opening the bench door I'd imagine

For those who didn't see it, Flyers have officially recalled Brian Boucher. They are saying Leighton has a upper-body injury.
- bmeltzer

Probably has a chronic bruise on his ability to be a decent back-up,so why not recall Booch who is better in spot play.

at the time there was a lot of talk saying that he had surgery without the flyers knowing about it until after they reupped his contract.

do i know that's true or not? no, but even without i don't get why they signed him again. WITH the injury, sneaky surgery or no, i REALLY don't get it.
- Don'tForgetTocchet

I would say that if that in fact happened(sneaky surgery) it violates the contract somehow, but ill defer that to anyone with more knowledge on contracts. Also if he did have surgery he's gonna have to rehab and seek treatment afterward, I have a hard time believing all that transpires without the flyers knowledge. Furthermore leighton and his agent would be complete morons for doing something like that because if caught, that'd just about make him damaged goods as I doubt many teams would be willing to ever touch him again. As it turned out he returned to the flyers, played well for the phantoms and the flyers resigned him again. I seriously doubt he had surgery without them knowing because when he did undergo surgery or a later examination the doctors would have seen that he had surgery. This isn't something you hide with a few dashes of makeup.

For those who didn't see it, Flyers have officially recalled Brian Boucher. They are saying Leighton has a upper-body injury.
- bmeltzer

That didn't take long...

From opening the bench door I'd imagine
- ob18

Yeah, exactly. He's been practicing and took pregame warmups just fine, so I'm not quite sure when or how he would have gotten that upper-body injury while sitting on the bench every game but one. But who knows?

Yeah, exactly. He's been practicing and took pregame warmups just fine, so I'm not quite sure when or how he would have gotten that upper-body injury while sitting on the bench every game but one. But who knows?
- bmeltzer

I know what it is, it's the weight of all the money he's more or less stolen from the Flyers........

I would say that if that in fact happened(sneaky surgery) it violates the contract somehow, but ill defer that to anyone with more knowledge on contracts. Also if he did have surgery he's gonna have to rehab and seek treatment afterward, I have a hard time believing all that transpires without the flyers knowledge. Furthermore leighton and his agent would be complete morons for doing something like that because if caught, that'd just about make him damaged goods as I doubt many teams would be willing to ever touch him again. As it turned out he returned to the flyers, played well for the phantoms and the flyers resigned him again. I seriously doubt he had surgery without them knowing because when he did undergo surgery or a later examination the doctors would have seen that he had surgery. This isn't something you hide with a few dashes of makeup.
- JoeRussomanno

you're probably right, i just remember at the time with the stuff i was hearing it seemed sketchy and i was pretty ticked off.

now... i get my wish and boucher is called up... therefore he'll probs get blown out by winterpeg

From opening the bench door I'd imagine
- ob18

Maybe he had super-secret shoulder surgery over the last 2 day break?

I know what it is, it's the weight of all the money he's more or less stolen from the Flyers........
- ob18

Maybe he got hurt slinging a hockey bag over his shoulder, which was filled to the brim with quarters; his contractually specified method of collecting the combined $3 million he's made from the Flyers in the the last three seasons. Leights carried the ever-expanding bag around for three years, 'cause he thinks banks are unlucky.

Goalies are a strange lot, you know .

For those who didn't see it, Flyers have officially recalled Brian Boucher. They are saying Leighton has a upper-body injury.
- bmeltzer

gee, how convenient

Maybe he got hurt slinging a hockey bag over his shoulder, which was filled to the brim with quarters; his contractually specified method of collecting the combined $3 million he's made from the Flyers in the the last three seasons. Leights carried the ever-expanding bag around for three years, 'cause he thinks banks are unlucky.

Goalies are a strange lot, you know .
- bmeltzer

Maybe he had super-secret shoulder surgery over the last 2 day break?
- tangent_man

do you remember any of this hidden injury stuff?

I know what it is, it's the weight of all the money he's more or less stolen from the Flyers........
- ob18

Remember how much $$$ Matt Geiger stole from the 76ers.

"...uh, so you recovered the negatives as well?...oh thank god...this nightmare can end..."

Y'know I'm very grateful for everything Leighton has brought to this team and for his amazing run to the finals, and I never have or will wish him ill. But with the very close standings and importance of the upcoming games, I am glad Boosh is coming up to play. Between the two I have always thought Boucher had the edge. He always seemed to move faster. And I am more comfortable with him in net. I hope Leighton does get a chance later to get better and get his game back. But with the standings this close, this lessens my anxiety over our backup situation.

Y'know I'm very grateful for everything Leighton has brought to this team and for his amazing run to the finals, and I never have or will wish him ill. But with the very close standings and importance of the upcoming games, I am glad Boosh is coming up to play. Between the two I have always thought Boucher had the edge. He always seemed to move faster. And I am more comfortable with him in net. I hope Leighton does get a chance later to get better and get his game back. But with the standings this close, this lessens my anxiety over our backup situation.
- flyler

boucher is coming off multiple surgeries... only time will tell



(i like boucher but man i wish they kept bob)

"Leighton could miss up to 10 days."

Same duration as the road trip.

boucher is coming off multiple surgeries... only time will tell



(i like boucher but man i wish they kept bob)
- Don'tForgetTocchet

i think they signed leighton very quick out of the free agency gate. there were other directions we could go w/o stalling bob. then again, if homer knew there was a buyout option available...

"Leighton could miss up to 10 days."

Same duration as the road trip.
- bmeltzer

curiouser and curiouser !

i think they signed leighton very quick out of the free agency gate. there were other directions we could go w/o stalling bob. then again, if homer knew there was a buyout option available...
- isaiah520

When a team signs a player quickly out of Free Agency. It's because they know what they want, and are comfortable with the player. I'll trust the Flyers management, Pro Scouts and talent evaluators in that decision. Instead of calling it a bad decision right out of the gate without even seeing the player play. But it's easy to be a GM with hindsight.