As happened in late February of 2009, when Ossi Vaananen and Glen Metropolit were placed on waivers as a precursor for making room under the salary cap for Claude Giroux, Flyers GM Paul Holmgren placed forward Tom Sestito and goaltender Michael Leighton on waivers Thursday.
The expectation then and now, was that both would clear and be assigned to the minors. But a funny thing happened on the way to the 24-hour deadline -- Metropolit was taken by Montreal and Vaananen by Vancouver -- and the Flyers lost critical depth despite keeping the emerging star Giroux.
On Friday, the Canucks struck once more, taking Sestito off the Flyers' hands along with his $605,000 salary and restricted free agent status. Thus ends the two-year tenure of the 25-year-old from upstate New York, who totaled three points in 21 games with the big club.
Sestito's job was pretty much taken over by both Zac Rinaldo and Tye McGinn, but hey, we'll always have his landmark two-goal night on February 5 against Tampa Bay to remember him by.
As for Leighton, the string was pulled on him again, and he heads back to Glens Falls having been usurped for the backup position by Brian Boucher plus a broken finger which seems to have taken place and is healing in near total silence.
Phantoms broadcaster Bob Rotruck reported that head coach Terry Murray said on Friday that he will carry three goaltenders at least through the weekend as his team plays in Springfield tonight and Bridgeport tomorrow before going home to face Albany on Sunday. No decision will be made yet on whom he will decide to send down to Trenton if necessary to clear roster space.
Leighton was 28-26-1 with a 2.58 goals-against average and two shutouts in spending all of last season with Adirondack.
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