Offseason Surgery Watch
By Kevin K

Mike Richards: Richards requires wrist surgery.

Chris Pronger: Will have surgery on his back. This may have also caused his discomfort in his hamstring.

Kris Versteeg: Told Philly Sports Daily he will have offseason surgery on his abdominal area.

Blair Betts: needs surgery on his finger.

Michael Leighton: return of Leighton not so great, he needs surgery on his hip.

Andrej Meszaros: needs surgery on his wrist.

Leino Wants Cup
By Kevin K

During the All-Star break, CSN Philly reported that the Flyers and winger Ville Leino were close to a new contract. The report read, "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."

So why was no such signing made since then? Enter Kris Versteeg. According to Frank Seravalli of the Daily News, Multiple team sources told the Daily News that Leino, believe it or not, was the biggest key to the Flyers bolstering their roster last week with forward Kris Versteeg.

Leino agreed to postpone his ongoing contract-extension negotiations, so that the Flyers could spend their remaining salary-cap and tagging space to acquire Versteeg from Toronto. Leino will become a sought-after unrestricted free agent on July 1.

He knew that the Flyers have a better chance to hoist the Stanley Cup with Versteeg, a talented scoring winger, than without him. And he was able to table an offer from the Flyers, putting his own personal security and gain aside, for the betterment of the team.

'Those conversations are between me and [Paul Holmgren],' Leino said yesterday. 'But obviously, we all want to win the Cup. That's my first priority here. And I think everyone else would feel the same way.'"

Leino has 13 goals and 27 assists this season and has become well known after his great playoff run last season (7 goals and 14 assists).


Read more from Frank Seravalli here: http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/20110222_Leino_sets_aside_salary_talks_so_Flyers_can_add_Versteeg.html?nlid=3519729#ixzz1EhbL2DIL
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Flyers Acquire Kris Versteeg
By Kevin K

Bob McKenzie of TSN reported that the Flyers have traded a first and third round draft pick to Toronto for Winger Kris Versteeg.

Versteeg has 14 goals and 21 assists on the season before being traded to the Flyers.

Flyers may have sent too much to Toronto for Versteeg, however, sources tell CSNPhilly.com that Toronto asked for JVR for Versteeg but took the first and third round pick instead.

With the versatile Versteeg now acquired by the Flyers, it proves that Lavy was right ... it's now Stanley Cup or Bust for the Flyers.

Matt Carle on the addition of Kris Versteeg, "The depth of our team is starting to show some resemblance to the Phillies starting rotation".

Versteeg played for the Stanley Cup Champion Chicago Blackhawks last season and was on a bad Toronto team this season before being acquired by the Flyers.He will wear number 32 for the Flyers and is expected to make his Flyers debut versus the Tampa Bay Lightning.