ChuckNORRIS4Cup Posted July 10, 2012 Share Posted July 10, 2012 What differentiates McLean from Luongo was his composure and poise during crucial situations. Several of his former teammates have praised him for his ability to remain calm and to recover quickly after letting in a goal. This was the key during the 1994 Stanley Cup playoffs when McLean had to play at his very best; in most cases, he was the difference maker and the obvious choice to win the Conn Smythe Award had the Canucks won Game 7. In contrast with Kirk, Roberto is mentally fragile and does not recover after allowing a goal against. In fact, he becomes a burden to the team for several minutes while he attempts to regain his focus. He is also much more inconsistent -- he can either steal a game for the team or be the reason the team loses. In the 2011 Stanley Cup Finals, we became all too familiar with this. The series was a microcosm of his entire career. Kirk was the more composed of the two goaltenders. He was also the last true standup goaltender to play in the NHL, and he exceeded all expectations for this franchise. He has always been a humble individual, and still loves this city despite being traded in 1998 during the team's dark days. Both goaltenders have accomplished similar feats, but Kirk was one of the only reasons the 1994 team reached Game 7, aside from Linden, Brown, Bure and a few others. The 1994 team had no place being in the Stanley Cup Finals, as they were outmatched in nearly every other category. The 2011 team was dominant for much of the year, and fell flat on its face when it mattered most. I personally still believe McLean defines goaltending for Vancouver. He had the courage to compete, demonstrated a strong sense of humility, and was poised and focused at all times. He may not have been as talented as Luongo, but his mind was always in tune. In addition, he spent ten and a half years in Vancouver, still holds a number of team records, and nearly won the Vezina Trophy twice if not for Patrick Roy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sugar baby watermelon Posted July 10, 2012 Share Posted July 10, 2012 I have to go with both on this. McLean made some ridiculous saves on that 94 run & then again so did Lou, before all you jump in and say otherwise, I will always remember Lou making that ludicrous save off of Patrick Sharp after a nifty pass from Captain Serious in game 7, the whole building erupted on that save.... Thanks to both amazing goalies who gave me great memories of playoffs past. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grapefruits Posted July 10, 2012 Share Posted July 10, 2012 2 entirely different era's to be playing in, but I have to give the nod to Capt. Kirk. He got us closer to a Stanley Cup than any other Goalie in Canucks history. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest gumballthechewy Posted July 10, 2012 Share Posted July 10, 2012 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Aerosex Posted July 10, 2012 Share Posted July 10, 2012 Luongo for sure. McLean had a great cinderella run and played an entertaining style, but the main thing going for him was he was more endearing to Canucks fans; never had big expectations for him. They're the 2 best in Canucks history, but the difference in the way fans view them is pretty huge. I'd have to say McLean was a little overrated, and Luongo's been underrated recently. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kloubek Posted July 10, 2012 Share Posted July 10, 2012 No question. Luongo. I'm not going to pull out the stats since it used to be a different game, but I don't think Kirk would be any more than average by today's standards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nino Posted July 10, 2012 Share Posted July 10, 2012 Luongo for sure. McLean had a great cinderella run and played an entertaining style, but the main thing going for him was he was more endearing to Canucks fans; never had big expectations for him. They're the 2 best in Canucks history, but the difference in the way fans view them is pretty huge. I'd have to say McLean was a little overrated, and Luongo's been underrated recently. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nino Posted July 10, 2012 Share Posted July 10, 2012 No question. Luongo. I'm not going to pull out the stats since it used to be a different game, but I don't think Kirk would be any more than average by today's standards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Van_City123 Posted July 10, 2012 Share Posted July 10, 2012 Luuuuuuu! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Airjasper Posted July 10, 2012 Share Posted July 10, 2012 Pure skill and talent this is a no brainer. If the poll was "who is your favorite all time canuck goalie" then I could see voting for Mclean...But Luongo is one of the best goalies in the world and definitely the best goalie Vancouver has ever had in net. Haha, and everyone runs that guy out of town. Classic. How can you say Mclean was a better goalie just based on 1 run? Look at the team records, look at stats, look at who was starting goalie for Team Canada and brought home a gold... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
derr12 Posted July 10, 2012 Share Posted July 10, 2012 Bobby lou. Likely will be the best goalie in canucks history for at least the next 10 years. Scneids has som big skates to fill (I think he has it in him tho) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nino Posted July 10, 2012 Share Posted July 10, 2012 Pure skill and talent this is a no brainer. If the poll was "who is your favorite all time canuck goalie" then I could see voting for Mclean...But Luongo is one of the best goalies in the world and definitely the best goalie Vancouver has ever had in net. Haha, and everyone runs that guy out of town. Classic. How can you say Mclean was a better goalie just based on 1 run? Look at the team records, look at stats, look at who was starting goalie for Team Canada and brought home a gold... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-Vintage Canuck- Posted July 10, 2012 Share Posted July 10, 2012 Luongo winning by a landslide. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CanuckFan1981 Posted July 10, 2012 Share Posted July 10, 2012 Thats hard to say. Both played a different style. Lui plays a butterfly , while McLean plays a more stand up. Mind you Lui never played on a crap team like Mclean had when he first came to Vancouver either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drybone Posted July 10, 2012 Share Posted July 10, 2012 Luongo winning by a landslide. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Aerosex Posted July 10, 2012 Share Posted July 10, 2012 I'm going 180 on this.... McLean was the reason the Canucks had a Cinderella run. The Canucks were the underdogs and he tool them to a one goal loss in game 7. Lou has had a stacked team in Vancouver and has overinflated stats because of it, the cup was his to loose last year and he lost it. Lou is overrated (as voted by the league) and McLean was underrated. He has just as many vesna nominations as Lou and Lou has played for a far superior team. You can't look at stats the same way as the game was much more wide open then (pre trap) and McLean was playing the likes of Gretzky. Anyone who thinks McLean was overrated is too young to have seen him play or to ignorant to recall the past. McLean was also a great off ice roll model and "played for the fans" and Lou said himself he doesn't. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TowelPower12 Posted July 10, 2012 Share Posted July 10, 2012 Both got their team to game 7 of the finals but Luongo holds all the goaltending records for this team and has spent alot less time here than McLean did, Luongo is the best goalie this team has ever seen hands down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nino Posted July 10, 2012 Share Posted July 10, 2012 Both got their team to game 7 of the finals but Luongo holds all the goaltending records for this team and has spent alot less time here than McLean did, Luongo is the best goalie this team has ever seen hands down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TowelPower12 Posted July 10, 2012 Share Posted July 10, 2012 i've seen your other posts about Luongo, you would probably try and make the argument that Cloutier is better than he is. Luongo is the best goalie this team has ever had no matter how much you don't liek him, get over it. People hate Crosby but that doesn't take away the fact that he's the best player in the NHL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TowelPower12 Posted July 10, 2012 Share Posted July 10, 2012 @ the emboldened part...that's what I mean. I think his public image elevated him more in the minds of the fans, and that's what I mean when I say he was a little overrated, in the same way Trevor Linden is *FLAME SHIELD ACTIVATED* Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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