The Situation Posted June 1, 2012 Share Posted June 1, 2012 Luongo should get his due from critics By Tony Gallagher, Postmedia News May 31, 2012 6:20 PM VANCOUVER — There is so much ridiculous information surrounding Vancouver Canucks goalie Roberto Luongo and his future these days, one doesn’t really know where to begin debunking some of this stuff. The Bleacher Report, which is normally pretty solid, ran a list of ‘players who sucked’ in this year’s playoffs, and despite playing very well in the Canucks’ first two losses at home against the Kings, Luongo was fingered on the basis of his goals-against average and save percentage. In two games? A player who sucked? Sure he gave up that goal from the side of the net to Mike Richards on the power play, but that was a tremendously smart play on the forward’s part and it’s amazing more players don’t try it. And this is to ignore all the outstanding saves he made behind a team that didn’t look prepared to start the playoffs. After what may have been the second- or third-best year in his career whereby he helped a genuinely struggling team in the second half of the season win another Presidents’ Trophy, his name is still somehow chopped liver and he’s being compared unfavourably to the likes to Tomas Vokoun. It’s as though the tremendous play of Cory Schneider has somehow depreciated what Luongo has done with this team this year. Granted he has committed the unpardonable sin in Canada, and now, increasingly so, in the U.S. as well. That is, he’s actually been good enough, long enough to become highly paid and we all know that can’t be allowed. It’s being portrayed as though his cap number of $5.3 million US is somehow way too high, out of line, and you have people like Steve Yzerman indicating he’s not interested when the two goalies he has couldn’t even fill out the guy’s jersey. This isn’t to say Luongo hasn’t had his failing moments in Vancouver. But without the goaltending he and Schneider provided this season, one can’t really be sure where this team would have finished the regular season, even playing in the hamburger pision they did. Yet somehow the media around the league has this perception that Luongo is going to be given away to anyone who might be so stupid as to have any kind of sincere interest. It’s been reported in lots of different places that Canucks GM Mike Gillis has been contacting general managers around the league about the possibility of moving the veteran goalie without yet having signed Schneider. Not surprisingly, he insists that is absolutely untrue. “I haven’t contacted anyone with respect to Roberto at all,” Gillis said Thursday. “I’ve had people call me and ask about him and I’ve told them that we haven’t made any decisions at all about the future of our goaltending. And that’s absolutely the truth. We’re going to have our pro scouts in over the next seven to 10 days, have our meetings and then we’ll come out of that with a firm plan on how to move ahead.” Gillis has had one conversation with Luongo and over the next few days he’ll have another on the phone with the goalie to see if he feels the same way as he did right after the season when they first talked. “He basically said to me the exact same thing he said to you guys that if it (a trade) was something that would help the team, he’d consider it,” said Gillis. “But I’d like to get his feelings now that he’s had a little time to think it over. There’s no rush here. There’s no need to get into anything too quickly because that’s when you’re likely to make a mistake. I was at the GMs’ meeting this week and you can ask all 29 other guys whether I talked to them about trading a goalie and they’d tell you ‘no’ because it just hasn’t happened.” Gillis is confident of signing Schneider, the first logical step in any procedure, and there’s plenty of cap space to get that done, at least in the interim period between now and the Sept. 15 expiry of the old collective bargaining agreement. The team has one, soon (Gillis hopes) to be two, goalies signed and then seven defencemen and 10 forwards all under contract in a pretty lean free-agent market, so they feel they’re in pretty decent shape relative to many teams. For the moment at least, Luongo is one of the big reasons they feel they’re in that situation. Vancouver Province © Copyright © The Province Read more: http://www.theprovin...l#ixzz1wVFA2dA4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeanBeef Posted June 1, 2012 Share Posted June 1, 2012 im assuming that the last word in the article helped you decide whether or not to post it on cdc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Newsflash Posted June 1, 2012 Share Posted June 1, 2012 The Bleacher Report, which is normally pretty solid, ran a list of ‘players who sucked’ in this year’s playoffs, and despite playing very well in the Canucks’ first two losses at home against the Kings, Luongo was fingered on the basis of his goals-against average and save percentage. In two games? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Situation Posted June 1, 2012 Author Share Posted June 1, 2012 im assuming that the last word in the article helped you decide whether or not to post it on cdc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Brahma Bull Posted June 1, 2012 Share Posted June 1, 2012 Luu's a ???? beast. When this team was complete crap, he put them on his back in 06-07 and bailed out kes/sedins. He gave them time to mature and not be under as much scrutiny as him. He is a fierce competitor and he will never ever give up. Not as many players would have re-signed for cheap or signed here as a free agent for cheap without Roberto Luongo in net. You think they would have signed for cheap a few years back with some young guy named Cory Schneider? Helll no. The team we have today has a lot to do with having Roberto Luongo as our goalie. He's had his ups and downs, but I will tell you one thing, some of those really big downs created a massive roller coaster ride for the last few years. Sometimes it didn't always end well, but it was some of the most exciting hockey I've ever witnessed. If we get rid of him, I just have a really bad feeling about it. I think some of his meltdowns kept this team on its heals and working hard. I think Luongo's meltdowns are behind him. He's emotionally matured over the last few years and I don't see him collapsing anymore. He's a hell of a player and he will be missed if he leaves this team. I guarantee we end up regretting this trade. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spotted Zebra Posted June 1, 2012 Share Posted June 1, 2012 Asking for Luongo haters to give him credit is like asking a rock to speak Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NLluvitorleaveit Posted June 1, 2012 Share Posted June 1, 2012 A rock did speak...on the post above yours lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gonz Posted June 1, 2012 Share Posted June 1, 2012 Great another Tony article always stirring up trouble. Like the pro Lu's and non pro Lu's need more fuel to go at it n CDC board Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RyanKeslord17 Posted June 1, 2012 Share Posted June 1, 2012 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D.Doughty Posted June 1, 2012 Share Posted June 1, 2012 I'm happy with whoever we sign, as long as we don't lose both. Be grateful for what you have Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rink on Renfrew Posted June 1, 2012 Share Posted June 1, 2012 Great article. Nothing but the truth. To be honest, as a huge Canuck fan for over twenty years, I just don't get this fan base (or the majority of it). It's one thing to hate on a player for having multiple poor seasons but Luongo has been a very good goalie for most of his time here, if not all of his time here. His huge collapses have been the result of our whole team playing poorly, even giving up/getting rattled. How many times has a player walked around our D or a player gotten two or three wacks at a rebound, durning those blowouts. Hell, he even posted two shutouts in the finals plus a few very good close games. Yet he's treated like chop liver. Hey lookey now.....you want it, you got it. The best goalie we've ever had could be traded away to appease the unknowledgeable knee jerkers. Just my take on the situation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldnews Posted June 1, 2012 Share Posted June 1, 2012 I have to say that I very rarely appreciate what Gallagher has to say - he usually has his guns turned inward on this organization - but this is about the best thing he has published in my opinion. I actually agree with him (first for everything) - so many people are underestimating Luongo, making baseless devaluations, and suggesting that his contract is an unmovable entity. Luongo has been a consistently productive goaltender - there are some halfwits out there who think a goaltender should never have a bad game, should never get caught out of position, should be infallible... He had great games and off games like every other guy, but generally gives his team a chance to win on a consistent basis. Those people running Luongo down haven't watched enough goaltenders perform over a long period. Schneider's incredible poise, positioning, and technical efficiency have given too many people in this town the misperception that being Luongo's equal is no formidable task. Canucks fans have enjoyed some of the best goaltending in the NHL for some time, and have come to take it for granted. To suggest that no other team would want him is to suggest that the NHL is populated by idiots at the GM position. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
L'Orange Posted June 1, 2012 Share Posted June 1, 2012 Luongo has been instrumental in making the Canucks the powerhouse they are today. He has done this amazing feat with an average defensive corps. Many of the "soft" goals Luongo has let in have been after defensive breakdowns, which happen far more frequently. With idiots like Jason Botchford stirring the pot, we have a certain portion of Canucks fans calling for Luongo to be traded. If the Canucks can acquire one or two (please) No. 1/Top 4 defenseman (Weber, Garrison, Wideman, Franson, Schenn) while shedding the average ones (Edler, Rome, Alberts) Luongo can still bring this city a Stanley Cup. Along with Schneider and the Sedins, Luo was excellent in an otherwise brutal series. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sport scout Posted June 1, 2012 Share Posted June 1, 2012 I dont think the aquilini family would like roberto to be traded, in my opinion Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TOMapleLaughs Posted June 1, 2012 Share Posted June 1, 2012 Who cares about this sh? Most people should be concerned about what to do with their Luongo jerseys when he becomes a friggin' Maple Leaf! Me? I'm hand-stitching my own 'McLean' name plate. Good times, Roberto. But if you become a Maple Leaf, you're dead to me. Cheers. TOML Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edler's Mind Tricks Posted June 1, 2012 Share Posted June 1, 2012 The Bleacher Report, which is normally pretty solid Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christophe Posted June 1, 2012 Share Posted June 1, 2012 God Tony is a moron. Can this guy go follow another team. He has no idea what he's talking about. Go on another Boston radio station and embarrass yourself again or something. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoreyPerry Posted June 1, 2012 Share Posted June 1, 2012 seems like toronto always in on every trade lol, wonder how much they actually are in on the trades they are rumored to be in on. Dreger and the rest of maple leafs fanboys are just feelers for the public to see how they would respond to the trade. You guys really think Luongo is going to be a leaf jus cause samjam99 tweeted it, is this kid Maebe Funke or something. Sure he broke some trades like 30 mins or hour before they happened, but now its like a month before it will happen, and this is the only kid that has the scoop, I doubt it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldnews Posted June 1, 2012 Share Posted June 1, 2012 Who cares about this sh? Most people should be concerned about what to do with their Luongo jerseys when he becomes a friggin' Maple Leaf! Me? I'm hand-stitching my own 'McLean' name plate. Good times, Roberto. But if you become a Maple Leaf, you're dead to me. Cheers. TOML Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NuxFan09 Posted June 1, 2012 Share Posted June 1, 2012 Luongo has been instrumental in making the Canucks the powerhouse they are today. He has done this amazing feat with an average defensive corps. Many of the "soft" goals Luongo has let in have been after defensive breakdowns, which happen far more frequently. With idiots like Jason Botchford stirring the pot, we have a certain portion of Canucks fans calling for Luongo to be traded. If the Canucks can acquire one or two (please) No. 1/Top 4 defenseman (Weber, Garrison, Wideman, Franson, Schenn) while shedding the average ones (Edler, Rome, Alberts) Luongo can still bring this city a Stanley Cup. Along with Schneider and the Sedins, Luo was excellent in an otherwise brutal series. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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