FLYERS ACQUIRE FORWARD VILLE LEINO FROM DETROIT

The Philadelphia Flyers announced today that they have acquired forward Ville Leino (VIHL-ee LAY-noh) from the Detroit Red Wings in exchange for Ole-Kristian Tollefsen and a fifth round draft pick in 2011, according to club General Manager Paul Holmgren.

"Ville is a skilled forward that is going to give us some depth,” said Holmgren. “I think he has the ability to play up and down our lineup and play with our skilled players. We're excited to have him. He'll join our team hopefully sometime today."

Leino, 26, has four goals and three assists for seven points in 42 games with the Red Wings this season. In 2008-09, he recorded nine points (5G,4A) in 13 games with Detroit, while spending most of the season with the Grand Rapids Griffins, the Red Wings’ American Hockey League affiliate, posting 46 points (15G,31A) in 57 contests. He also led Grand Rapids in the Calder Cup Playoffs with 13 points (3G,10A) in 10 games.

In 2007-08, Leino was named MVP of the Finnish Elite League after recording 77 points (28G,49A) in 55 games with Jokerit Helsinki. A native of Savonlinna, Finland, the undrafted Leino was signed as a free agent by the Red Wings on May 10, 2008.

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Comcast-Spectacor (comcast-spectacor.com) is the Philadelphia-based sports and entertainment company which owns the Philadelphia Flyers (NHL), the Philadelphia 76ers (NBA), two Philadelphia arenas, the Wachovia Center and Wachovia Spectrum, four Flyers Skate Zone community ice skating and hockey rinks and Comcast SportsNet Philadelphia. In addition, Comcast-Spectacor is also the principal owner of Global Spectrum, the fastest growing firm in the public assembly management field with more than 80 facilities throughout the United States and Canada; Ovations Food Services, a food and beverage service provider; New Era Tickets, a ticketing and marketing company for public assembly facilities; Front Row Marketing Services, a commercial rights sales company; and 3601 Creative Group, a full-service in-house advertising agency. In a partnership with Disson Skating, Comcast-Spectacor annually produces 10 nationally televised figure skating spectaculars on NBC.

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