Jump to content
The Official Site of the Vancouver Canucks
Canucks Community

Reasons why I'll miss Roberto Luongo


Tom Sestito

Recommended Posts

Same here OP, I started to follow this team after the lockout. I really became interested in the team because of the guy between the pipes, I grew up in the Caribbean- no hockey there. I have grown very fond of this team, my goal is to attend a game in Vancouver- in the menatime I cheer for them at the Excel in Minny...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I remember back in the 2006-2007 season, i wasn't much of a hockey fan. I remember one day that season, i decided to give hockey a chance. The thing that got me hooked was a guy by the name of Roberto Luongo. He was exciting to watch, and got me hooked. Since 2007-2008, my dad has been a season ticket holder. I've always been a lou fan, through thick and thin, being at game 7 of the cup finals, etc.

I think we all owe it to the best goalie in canucks history to show the smallest bit of appreciation we can, and heave some praise in one thread. I request that there won't be any flaming, or any hatred, or arguing in this thread.

To get us started off,

-He's the reason I'm a hockey fan

-He's the best goalie we've ever had

-He got us to the stanley cup finals

-Won us multiple division titles

-Only missed the playoffs once with him in our net.

I could go on for hours, but i'd like to hear from you guys. It doesn't even have to be reasons, just appreciation. :]

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Only sorta related but watching Lou in that playoff game against Dallas really makes me think he looks a hell of a lot more like Schneider than his current self. Very mobile, a good eye for the play, less rattled when an opposing player knocked him and swallowing up pucks more. I can't say I know that much about goaltender but seeing this really does scream of how our coaching staff really tried to alter his play in a completely weird way.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'll miss him because of the reason that several people have already mentioned: he is the best goalie in this franchise's history. As awesome as Schneider is and as excited as I am for this team to enter into its next chapter with him in net, I find myself feeling almost disappointed that Luongo's time in Vancouver is already over. It really shouldn't have ended this way. People that bitch and moan about his contract are the same people that love to use hindsight. The guy was - and still IS, actually - one of the best goalies in the league and was very much worthy of a lifetime contract. He's the kind of cornerstone franchise player that gets a contract like the one he has. Unfortunately, he's just had some awful mishaps in the playoffs since signing, combined with the fact that the Canucks have another potentially elite goalie that has emerged from the system. It's what you would call a rare turn of events. Otherwise, despite how many of you feel that Luongo moving on is something of poetic justice, Gillis would have NO reason to go this route and Luongo would continue being the man between the pipes in Vancouver.

That said, I know the OP's heart is in the right place with this thread, but the timing isn't quite right. Technically Luongo is still a Canuck. No time for sad remembrances just yet.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Roberto Luongo deserves to be treated much better from the fans of this franchise. He is our best goalie in franchise history. Without him, i dont think that our stars, like the twins or kesler or even juice would become the players they are today. I will miss Luo and im sad that he could never deliver a stanley cup to this city. I wonder how things would have changed if he did bring the cup to Vancouver.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I also believe we should spend some time to reflect on this era of goaltending for Vancouver. When Roberto Luongo joined this team, he was viewed as this team's savior. We owe him our thanks for Alain Vigneault's first Jack Adams trophy, as well as for the incredible 47-win season that brought this city the hope that we would witness a lengthy 2007 playoff run. That very first season in Vancouver convinced this fanbase that the team had finally resolved its goaltending woes.

There are many other contributions we should thank him for, however, many of which have made an even greater impact on how this team has progressed throughout the past six years.

Thank you, Roberto Luongo, for the commitment and desire to play 75 games per season in your first several years with this team. Though you were unable to accomplish this feat in the 2008-09 and 2009-10 seasons due to injuries, your will to represent this team in net, to exhaust yourself prior to each postseason, and to staple your backup goaltender to the bench demonstrate your selflessness and dedication to this team's ultimate success.

Even when the games no longer mattered, such as after we had been eliminated from the playoff race in 2008 by the Edmonton Oilers, you still dressed as the starting goaltender. One example is that final game against the Calgary Flames; Curtis Sanford relieved you only once you allowed three early goals, as you were to play all home games. Coach Vigneault's timeless remark, "Come on, Lui," still resonates as the moment I knew you were in control of this team's fate. You were the one who called the shots, and this team would live or die by your hand in those early years.

Thank you for your heroic performances in the playoffs, despite the untimely collapses in the games adjacent to those in which you played well. While your inconsistencies plagued this team each postseason, we must remember how spectacular you performed in select games rather than focus on your shortcomings. We thank you for playing well for our home crowd in the Stanley Cup Finals, and for your contributions to this city's rivalry with the Chicago Blackhawks. Without you, we would not have had such fierce, anxious encounters with the likes of Patrick Kane and Dustin Byfuglien.

We also owe you our appreciation for your intensity and emotion during crucial matches. Your passion carried this team to new feats, showing us all that when you were focused and at your best, you were difficult to score against. We forgive you for your mental fragility and for appearing distraught for several minutes after each goal against; your lack of focus at times, your tendency to become flustered, and your need to spend a great deal of time recovering from mental lapses may have contributed to your reputation as inconsistent, but we understand human beings can be emotional and may need time to heal.

Thank you for attempting to continue playing in net even in instances when you were clearly struggling, such as after allowing a bad goal. Until last year, you had tremendous leeway each game, and you would not be relieved of your duties in net until you had allowed five or six goals against. As a result, in games when you were not focused early, the team would be facing a large deficit by the intermission; at times, several goals would have been scored against you in a short period, effectively placing this team at an enormous disadvantage. Thank you for your desire to remain this team's starter even during your worst moments, and for keeping the team's backup goaltenders secured to the bench; this demonstrates determination, though this did not frequently benefit the team.

We need not dwell on how we lost seven of our last eight matches at the conclusion of the 2007-08 season and missed the playoffs by three points as a result. It would not be appropriate at this time for us to linger on the Scott Neidermayer lob shot in 2007, nor the Patrick Kane hat trick in 2009, nor the Dustin Byfuglien hat trick in 2010, nor the frightening Blackhawks comeback of the 2011 quarterfinals, nor even the various collapses at TD Garden in Boston. None of that matters.

Thank you for the time you spent representing this team as its leader. Your time as this team's captain was memorable and shall not be forgotten. You carried the burden of addressing this team's struggles throughout that time, and used the term "we" rather than "I" when describing the disappointments. Never once did you blame yourself for some of those losses. As such, you have proven to be a role model for those who wish to be the very best. Your words have always been wise -- yes, you would have saved that Game 2 overtime goal, as you stayed deeper in your net than the opposing goaltender.

We were fortunate to watch both you and some of the most complete rosters in Canucks history play at the same time. It was truly a treat to finally witness the fantasy that many had dreamed of when we first acquired your services: "what would the 2003 team have been with Luongo in net?" We were pleasantly surprised when the teams of recent years, especially 2011, became regarded as the greatest offensive rosters in franchise history. Behind arguably the most complete and dominant rosters to have ever played for Vancouver, you played just as you always would. Thank you for allowing us the opportunity to witness potential greatness behind a tremendous lineup, and for doing your part to achieve the same result as always.

We also would like to show our gratitude for your effective, unorthodox lunging style. Your desire to lean forward and stretch your limbs desperately along the ice may have cost us more goals than prevented them, but we will always appreciate your heart and determination to strike the ice surface with your chest in case a puck slides low towards the middle of the net.

Your humility and honesty are both much appreciated. It is no question when you were named this team's captain the year before your first contract expired, it was solely because of your leadership qualities. During this time now, we respect your reasons for leaving this city; another goaltender has succeeded you in net here, and there is understandably no room for two goaltenders to co-exist on one roster. We are glad, as you have stated, that you will go anywhere if there is a trade that will help this team.

We shall always remember the humorous times as well. You always brought a smile to those who witnessed your puckhandling skills, and we will not soon forget the look on Dave Nonis' face when you weren't available to start the Game 5 overtime against the Anaheim Ducks in 2007. Your cold October starts every year became an amusing trend after a while, and your inability to play "cold" after sitting a few games while ironically only allowing each of your first several backups one start per month will also never be forgotten.

It was a fun and memorable six years, Roberto Luongo. Though it was an anxious time and one with great expectations, we are glad to have become familiar with you. We will always remember the kind of goaltender you were, and we wish you all the best in the future.

Roberto+Luongo+Boston+Bruins+v+Vancouver+Canucks+pQLqI-y359Wx.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

He was the best goalie we had since McClean (I don't think it's fair to compare the two and say who's "better" because one was a standing goalie in a different goalie era). I remember our revolving door of goalies Vancouver had to deal with for years, it sucked.

And then there was the Cloutier era.... man, if people think Roberto lets in too many soft goals, Cloutier was 10x worse. When we got Roberto is finally put our goalie issues to rest for many years.

Luongo has been a good goalie for us, and I'm sure we'll all look back on this era with fondness if he gets traded.

thanks Lou!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...