DownUndaCanuck Posted February 11, 2013 Share Posted February 11, 2013 Firstly, this is not another Luongo trade thread, it's something no one has even mentioned or discussed yet. Right now, Luongo sits at 2nd in all of the league in terms of GAA and Save % at career bests of 1.53 and 0.940 respectively. Sure, he's only played a handful of games, but the last time he went through a stretch better than this was the 2 consecutive seasons where he put up 3 shutouts in a row. So is Luongo just starting to hit his prime this season? He's only 33 years old, which is usually around the time goaltenders tend to hit their best patches of play. It historically takes far longer for goalies to hit their prime than skaters, and Luongo is bang in that goalie-prime age. Brodeur is 40 now but had his best-ever season when he was 34 (48 wins, an NHL record). Tim Thomas had one of the best seasons ever by a goaltender after a few ups-and-downs in his career when he was 36. Now we've all seen how good Luongo was in the first season here in Vancouver, putting up record numbers and carrying a very bad team to the playoffs. He was fairly consistent after that, but now that he's coming into his prime he's putting up numbers far greater than ever before. The characteristic slow starts for this guy are over, and this could be a sign of things to come. Obviously it would be the worst move in hockey if MG were to trade Luongo during the prime of his career - trading an all-time top 10 NHL goaltender at any time would be a mistake, let alone in his prime. So my question is, is he just starting to play the best hockey of his career or is that long gone and over? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlayStation Posted February 11, 2013 Share Posted February 11, 2013 Eh his 48 wins he got were in 78 games played. Luongo had 47 wins that same year in 76 games played. Too bad Luongo wont be getting nearly the same percentage of games this year. As far as being in his prime, I dont know, goalies are extremely unpredicatble and some seem to stay in their prime forever... cough cough the great Brodeur. I dont think we'll ever be able to pin point the time where he was in his prime, but rather his numbers will stay some what steady till the end of his career. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robongo Posted February 11, 2013 Share Posted February 11, 2013 Yes he's at the end of his prime IMO. You say it would be bad for MG to trade him in his prime..i think the complete opposite..His value wont be higher and if he declines even a bit we'll be stuck with that contract. I love Lu, my fave nuck for a long time but its best for the team and Lu if we went our separate ways. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smashian Kassian Posted February 11, 2013 Share Posted February 11, 2013 He has been in his prime for a long time, and he still is in it. Make no mistake about it though, Lu is still the one going, Cory has just entered his prime, is already at Lu's level (ability wise) and still has upside. It would be a big mistake to trade Cory. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
King Heffy Posted February 11, 2013 Share Posted February 11, 2013 His prime was before the groin injury against the Penguins. He hasn't been quite the same ever since and belly flops too often when trying to move laterally. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GLASSJAW Posted February 11, 2013 Share Posted February 11, 2013 Firstly, this is not another Luongo trade thread, it's something no one has even mentioned or discussed yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frazzY Posted February 11, 2013 Share Posted February 11, 2013 His prime was before the groin injury against the Penguins. He hasn't been quite the same ever since and belly flops too often when trying to move laterally. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vancouver's comeback Posted February 11, 2013 Share Posted February 11, 2013 Goalies generally peak around 27/28 years old. There are some goalies out there however, that are capable of extending great play through their 30's. Though he continues to play well, Roberto certainly is not peaking now. I'd argue that he hasn't been the same goalie since the 08-09 season. Anyways, this is only a thinly veiled Luongo trade thread, just another premise upon which you are positing that Gillis should not trade Luongo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RockNroLLa. Posted February 11, 2013 Share Posted February 11, 2013 His prime was before the groin injury against the Penguins. He hasn't been quite the same ever since and belly flops too often when trying to move laterally. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rb4u Posted February 11, 2013 Share Posted February 11, 2013 Firstly, this is not another Luongo trade thread... Obviously it would be the worst move in hockey if MG were to trade Luongo during the prime of his career - trading an all-time top 10 NHL goaltender at any time would be a mistake, let alone in his prime. So my question is, is he just starting to play the best hockey of his career or is that long gone and over? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geebster Posted February 11, 2013 Share Posted February 11, 2013 He has been in his prime for a long time, and he still is in it. Make no mistake about it though, Lu is still the one going, Cory has just entered his prime, is already at Lu's level (ability wise) and still has upside. It would be a big mistake to trade Cory. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noheart Posted February 11, 2013 Share Posted February 11, 2013 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DownUndaCanuck Posted February 11, 2013 Author Share Posted February 11, 2013 Well so far Luongo is putting up career numbers that are smashing his past season's averages, so what's not to say that this season will be his best? The way it's going right now, Luongo is primed for a season like none other he's had. Now in terms of a trade, doesn't it seem rediculous to trade one of the league's best goalies, especially when he's having a personal career best year? You win Cups with goalies who are in their prime - look at what Thomas did. He had a few good seasons, didn't win cups, and had a few really bad seasons where Rask challenged him for the #1 spot. Then he put it all together, drew on his past experiences and put together one of the greatest goaltending performances in NHL history. The way it's going right now, Luongo is headed down this exact same path. His situation right now is eerily similar to the one Thomas was in when he knocked Rask off his #1 position and carried the Bruins to the Cup, which is why I think we should hold off a goalie trade for now, purely because Luongo is putting together "one of those seasons". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nuck nit Posted February 11, 2013 Share Posted February 11, 2013 Cory has just entered his prime, is already at Lu's level (ability wise) and still has upside. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jester13 Posted February 11, 2013 Share Posted February 11, 2013 So can we all just agree that this is just a bunch of speculation? Like it ALWAYS is? Just once I would love to see a thread in hindsight. #JustSaying Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
babych Posted February 11, 2013 Share Posted February 11, 2013 I think his play is influenced more by the fact that he has no pressure and is just having fun again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TotesMagotes Posted February 11, 2013 Share Posted February 11, 2013 Im torn between Schneider and Luongo, i feel like a young naive immature highschool kid trying to choose which girl i wanna date more. Either way, its never a bad problem to have. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
riffraff Posted February 11, 2013 Share Posted February 11, 2013 Op, I bought this truck once for 1600$.....I drove the crap out of it, worked it into the ground and generally just beat on it....it ended up sitting in the back lot not starting.....it was sold to a mechanic for 435$ I bought another truck with a stronger motor but a little rougher around the edges for a 1000$....drove the crap out if it including a cross border roadie, worked it into the ground and seriously beat the crap out if it....the truck was three years younger than the first one and when I sold it a year later I got my full 1000$ back. True story. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ahf149 Posted February 11, 2013 Share Posted February 11, 2013 Dont know if hes in his prime, but whatever he did in the offseason has made him a great goalie again. He said he was working with his goalie coach in Florida 4 days a week. He had the extra benefit of the lock out to work on his stuff. He seems way more confident, hes not flopping down. hes better positionally. He definitely worked on his shoot out positioning. The thought of losing your starting job also motivates you. I think he just became way to comfortable as a starting goalie...I agree he hasnt been the same since that Pittsburgh game, and he was apparently injured during the finals, but the Canucks never said anything because they didnt want to use it as an excuse. He looks healthy, sharp, confident. I want to keep him till the end of the playoffs. Win our cup, like my Quji board said we would when i was 15 (18 years ago)...in 2013. His value will be really high then. We will get something good for him. Gillis is smart, I trust he will make the right decision. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salmon Arm Canuck Posted February 11, 2013 Share Posted February 11, 2013 It has been said before....here it is being said again..... Luongo is a great goalie. Cory is a great goalie. Cory's career GAA and save percentage is better than Lu's GAA and save percentage as a Canucks goaltender in front of the same team. Cory is six years younger and 1.3 million dollars cheaper. And, despite what other posters feel, Cory has been tested in key games over the last two years. He is ready not only to be a #1 goaltender but an excellent number #1 goaltender. I defended Lu to the hilt on these boards for years. He's worthy of it. I wish him the best wherever he goes. The only issue that I hope is that GM MG can get back just as good quality in a trade as we're giving. This is where it could be a challenge because, considering Lu has been a part of the core of this team for six years, we should be getting back somebody that should be part of this core for the next six years moving forward. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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