Then and Now: Ville Leino

By Craig F
Posted on 05/08/2013 at 11:00 am

After spending parts of six seasons in the SM-liiga, Ville Leino became a member of the Detroit Red Wings’ organization for the 2008-2009 campaign. The forward spent time with the Tampereen Ilves, HPK, and Jokerit before he spent most of his first season with the Wings’ franchise in the AHL with the Grand Rapids Griffins. Leino saw regular season and postseason action for both the Griffins and Red Wings during 2008-2009, as he posted 46 points in 57 games with Grand Rapids and nine points in 13 tilts with Detroit. In the AHL playoffs, Leino totaled three goals and 10 …

Then and Now: Mattias Timander

By Craig F
Posted on 11/21/2012 at 9:00 am

The Philadelphia Flyers acquired defenseman Mattias Timander late in January of 2004 from the New York Islanders in exchange for a seventh-round pick in the 2004 NHL Draft. The Isles used the Flyers’ draft pick, which Philly obtained by swapping a pair of picks with the Tampa Bay Lightning at the 2003 draft, to draft defenseman Chris Campoli, who played in 233 games for New York before also playing for the Ottawa Senators, Chicago Blackhawks, and Montreal Canadiens. Of the 40 games Timander played for the Islanders’ franchise during the 2003-04 campaign, 35 were for the Isles’ AHL affiliate, the Bridgeport …

Then and Now: David Printz

By Craig F
Posted on 10/17/2012 at 9:00 am

In the 2001 NHL Draft, the Philadelphia Flyers picked Swedish defenseman David Printz 225th overall in the seventh round. The blue liner was selected two picks before the Colorado Avalanche chose Marek Svatos and four picks before the New Jersey Devils chose Aaron Voros. Printz joined the Flyers’ organization in the 2004-2005 regular season, as he spent time with the Trenton Titans and the Philadelphia Phantoms. The d-man only played in two games for the Titans recording an assist in the process. He participated in 50 regular season games with the Calder Cup winners posting a goal and five assists along with 66 PIMs. For …

Then and Now: Niko Dimitrakos

By Craig F
Posted on 06/13/2012 at 9:00 am

Before suffering a groin injury in the middle of February this season, Tom Sestito had played in 14 games for the Philadelphia Flyers posting an assist and 83 PIMs. The Orange and Black obtained Sestito in a trade with the Columbus Blue Jackets in February of 2011, where the Flyers shipped Greg Moore and Michael Chaput to Ohio in exchange for the hulking forward. Columbus was able to draft Sestito with the third-round pick they acquired in a draft-day deal with the San Jose Sharks in 2004, which sent a fourth-rounder in 2006 and a second-rounder in 2007 San Jose’s …