Mark Spector

Mark Spector is a columnist for sportsnet.ca

The goaltending on display in this Stanley Cup final has been underwhelming to say the least.

PHILADELPHIA — There may still be some magic left in the Philadelphia Flyers. Remember, when you’re talking about a team that does comebacks the way this one does, it doesn’t make much sense to deride them for falling behind in a series, right?

This much we know already, however: Goaltender Mike Leighton is a very average netminder, and could possibly be that rare ‘tender who takes his team this far only to be cut loose in the summer.

If not Leighton, surely Antti Niemi could be that guy — if he sets his price tag too high as a restricted free agent this summer.

Yes, in this rather embarrassing display of goaltending, Niemi has been only slightly better than Leighton — the ‘B; to Leighton’s ‘B-minus,’ if you will. Throw in Brian Boucher’s pedestrian work and what do you have?

How about The Three Tenders? "Will sing for saves."

Think back and tell me when you have been this underwhelmed by the goaltending in a Stanley Cup final?

In the last two seasons Detroit’s Chris Osgood was his usual no-credit-but-more-than-serviceable self, while Pittsburgh’s Marc-Andre Fleury was good-to-great in back-to-back finals split between the two goalies. In ’07 it was J.S. Giguere who kept his GAA under 2.00, and received some Conn Smythe consideration in return.

Even in ’06, when Carolina’s Cam Ward outlasted an Edmonton backup named Jussi Markkanen — after Dwayne Roloson was injured in Game 1 — Markkanen did something we’re not seeing enough of in this Cup final: he helped his Oilers weather a bad period and gave them a chance to regroup and reload after the intermission. Edmonton lasted seven games with a backup in goal before Ward won the Conn Smythe.

In ’04 it was Miikka Kiprusoff vs. Nikolai Khabibulin, two long-term star goalies in the NHL. In ’03, Giguere won the Conn Smythe in a losing cause. In ’02 it was Dominik Hasek in Detroit. In ’01, the great Patrick Roy won the Conn Smythe for Colorado. In 2000, New Jersey’s Martin Brodeur. In ’99, Dallas’ Ed Belfour beat Hasek. In ’98, Osgood. In ’97, Mike Vernon was Detroit’s netminder.

Years from now, however, you have to wonder how we’ll look back on the two-headed monster of Leighton and Brian Boucher versus Niemi.

For now, of course, the Flyers are rallying around Leighton because he is all they’ve got. He has been yanked twice in this final, and although coach Peter Laviolette would not confirm his Game 6 starter on Monday, we’re betting it’s Leighton.

"Much like the first game, you saw the way he rallied and came up with the big game for us in Game 2," Chris Pronger said dutifully. "I’ve got all the confidence in him. I’m sure everyone else does as well. He’s been a guy who has been able to slough off tough ones."

There seems no question that Niemi is a better pedigree of goaler. He turns 27 this summer, while Leighton is 29.

Both are late bloomers, though in this case the word "bloom" is a relative term.

Speaking personally, Leighton inspires zero confidence in me. He started the series as a nervous wreck, and when he’s been called on to pull a "Halak" and carry his team through a rough patch, he hasn’t been able.

Niemi is one of those guys who makes all kinds of spectacular saves, but — as he did in the opening minute of the second period in Game 5 — he’ll turn a routine save into a goal somewhere along the way most nights.

So, if you are the two general managers, Stan Bowman in Chicago and Paul Holmgren in Philly, what would you do with them this summer?

Leighton is a UFA who is likely just looking for some term. He’s been in the minors for a long time, and wants some security. But in an organization that has historically made the wrong decisions when it comes to goaltending, do you fall in love with Leighton now, at age 29?

Do you pay Leighton like a No. 1 guy, and go to war next year with what realistically would be dueling backups in him and Boucher? Because let’s face it: We’re not sure there is another NHL team that would pay Leighton as a No. 1.

Niemi is a different cat. He is a restricted free agent this year, but one year away from being unrestricted. Chicago still has Cristobal Huet for two more years at $5.625 million — a huge mistake by the former Hawks administration — so that limits what they can spend on Niemi unless they farm Huet out.

Niemi may yet improve. What if his game gets consistent, leaning more towards his high-level games and less towards the stinkers?

The problem is, he’s not there yet. If he wants superstar money, should the Hawks be wiling to wager that he will one day become a superstar?

Right now, Niemi is about a $3 million goaltender — not five or six million.

With a Stanley Cup ring however, Niemi may want to cash in — in Chicago or elsewhere.