Ville Leino
Position: Left wing Height, weight: 6-foot, 182 pounds Age: 26 Birthdate: Oct. 6, 1983 Hometown: Born and raised in Savonlinna, Finland
Position: Left wing
Height, weight:
6-foot, 182 pounds
Age: 26
Birthdate: Oct. 6, 1983
Hometown: Born and raised in Savonlinna, Finland
Years pro: 2
How acquired: Via trade from the Detroit Red Wings in exchange for defenseman Ole-Kristian Tollefsen and a fifth-round pick in the 2011 NHL draft on Feb. 6, 2010.
Season: When it started, no one even knew who Ville Leino was. They do now. After a disappointing regular season in which the rookie netted just six goals in 55 games with the Red Wings and Flyers, Leino was a healthy scratch for Philadelphia in the first four games of the playoffs and was only inserted into the lineup in Game 5 against the New Jersey Devils because of injuries to Jeff Carter and Simon Gagne. But once he was put on a makeshift line with Scott Hartnell and Danny Briere and finally got some consistent ice time, Leino started to produce. He already has broken the team's previous rookie playoff scoring mark (Brian Propp, 15 points in 1980), notching 19 points (seven goals, 12 assists) in 18 games.
Career: Not much to speak of, although Leino, who signed with Detroit as an undrafted free agent on May 10, 2008, has appeared in back-to-back Stanley Cup finals. In 68 career regular-season contests, he has 11 goals and nine assists. Before coming to the NHL, Leino played six seasons professionally in his native Finland.
On the verge: Leino, who also holds the Flyers rookie playoff record for goals, is just three points shy of eclipsing Dino Ciccarelli's all-time rookie playoff scoring mark of 21 points. Ciccarelli accomplished the feat as a member of the Minnesota North Stars in 1981.
Sensing urgency: Asked if his team would be able to rebound with its back against the wall, Leino, who had three assists in the 7-4 Game 5 loss, responded: "We've been through this before, and we're going home to win the game. We've got to win the next game at home."
- Mike Mazzeo