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Will Michael Leighton be a Flyer next season?

If I were a betting man, I would say that the chances of Michael Leighton returning to the Philadelphia Flyers next season are slim.

After making just $600,000 last season, and helping lead the Flyers to the Stanley Cup finals, Leighton will be an unrestricted free agent this summer. Judging by the comments of Leighton yesterday as well as GM Mike Holmgren, it seems the player and the team may be approaching next season a bit differently.

“I enjoyed my time here, I enjoyed the guys and the organization,” he said. “It’s kind of up to the team. I’ve still got to meet with Homer and talk it over.”

Stating his case later, he added, “There’s not too many goalies that make it to the Stanley Cup finals.”

Holmgren danced around the question when asked if he considered Leighton a No. 1 goalie.

“You can’t argue with his record and numbers when he had an opportunity to play,” Holmgren said.

The Flyers aren’t exactly hard up against the cap next year, with about $9 million in cap space left with 16 players under contract. That’s not bad, but there is still players like Braydon Coburn, Ryan Parent, Dan Carcillo and Aaron Asham to consider as well as they enter free agency.

With Brian Boucher still under contract for next season, you wonder if the Flyers will be looking elsewhere at goaltender next season; especially if Leighton’s asking price skyrockets.