Not Starting Lou Classless & embarrassing to the Player and Organization another big black eye

[Grapefruits]

If your boss had repeatedly demoted you,belittled you and tried to get rid of you, would you give it 100% at work everyday?

If i was being paid $5.3 million a year, yes.

Also, when did be belittle Lu? When he gave him that ridiculous contract that can't be moved?

[poetica]

This whole kerfuffle is about one thing and one thing only: Lou's ego. I totally disagree that Lou "deserved this start" at least if you base that decision on the recent play of the two goalies and if this had been just another snoozefest at their usual rink nobody would have said much about the selection of the starter. But because it's on the BIG stage soaked in hooplah the Cult of Lou is demanding that their hero get the start simply on his star power. That's not how it works in pro hockey, at least not when you need to win something like 15 of the next 22 games. The fact that this has turned into a "distraction" convinces me more than ever that this team need to jettison Lou once and for all. People who say that he's played great recently need to give their heads a shake.

Yeah! What do all of those people saying it was unnecessarily disrespectful to Luo, like Don Cherry and Marty Turco, know about professional hockey anyway?!

[Brick Tamland]

I want Torts gone in the offseason. I know he hasn't even been here for that long but the most notable things he's done here so far are trying to fight another team's coach, leading the Canucks to the worst losing streak we've seen in over 10 years, and try to kill the confidence of our supposed #1 goalie. The way this season has been going could not possibly be any worse. I don't see how any other coach could be doing worse than what Torts is doing to our team right now.

How do you measure the best December in club history and also playing with more injuries to star players then any other time in our history?

[Canuck or Die]

I want Torts gone in the offseason. I know he hasn't even been here for that long but the most notable things he's done here so far are trying to fight another team's coach, leading the Canucks to the worst losing streak we've seen in over 10 years, and try to kill the confidence of our supposed #1 goalie. The way this season has been going could not possibly be any worse. I don't see how any other coach could be doing worse than what Torts is doing to our team right now.

Jesus f*king Christ! How about getting a damn clue buddy? We are not in this mess because of Torts! Worst losing streak in 10 years? What, you already forgot that 9-game losing streak in 2009 under AV? AV was sucking pretty hard with this same group too, genius. AV would also go with Schneider over Luongo. THE CORE IS THE PROBLEM! So is management for thinking this declining core can do anything. Torts is NOT the one at fault for this team's mediocrity. Maybe if you haters weren't blind, you'd see this as a continuation of the last two seasons. We were on the decline since the finals.

[Kumquats]

Nobody will care next year. Everything gets blown out of proportion here.

Here's a conversation between a Canucks fan and any other fan:

"Luongo isn't starting the Winter Classic!!!"

'So?'

[pomorick]

If Lou wanted to play the Heritage Classic he shouldn't have refused the the trade. I strongly suspect that Gillis worked out a trade r Lou, but Lou said no, hence Lack starting the Classic.

[Toyotasfan]

If I were in Lou's shoes I wouldn't stop another puck unless it hit me in the arse. Get a buyout and resurface with a different team next year : aka Bryzgalof. It's getting to that point that we all know he's not going to play 7 more years on that contract in Vancouver.

[WZRD]

Lack is the back up and he lost the previous game which means that Luongo should've started this game.

This was the freaking Heritage Classic and Luo should've been in net as he's done nothing to lose it.

This organization doesn't know how to treat its players. Sad to see where this team has fallen to so soon after 2011.

[hsedin33]

lu lovers with their sense of entitlement rating lu above the team... (apparently this attitude extends to lu judging by his response)

this Is a team game, All players have to contribute to the teams success..

if you get outplayed in your position by a teammate, and he gives the team a better chance to win... then he plays over you. Simple as that.

if lu doesn't like that, He should leave. Tired of his/his fanboys whining.

Lack earned that start on the back of spectacular play, and outplaying Lu up to that point. Torts didn't start lack because he's a "big meanie" who wants to act like a jerk

He's been trying for a couple years now, but management traded Cory and then begged Lu to stay, stating clearly to him and us that he would be the 'Guy' which he isn't.

They lied to him, straight up. You can say 'its his job, suck it up' all you want, but believe it or not we still live in a world where professionalism and class still has some value to some people.

[thema]

If I were in Lou's shoes I wouldn't stop another puck unless it hit me in the arse. Get a buyout and resurface with a different team next year : aka Bryzgalof. It's getting to that point that we all know he's not going to play 7 more years on that contract in Vancouver.

Had to laugh at this post: what if he plays at the same level as Bryzgalov? Lou is a couple of hissy fits away from being unemployable.

[WZRD]

If i was being paid $5.3 million a year, yes.

Also, when did be belittle Lu? When he gave him that ridiculous contract that can't be moved?

FFS Luo is still a person. Stop acting like money is everything.

[gradin123]

Luongo not starting sends the wrong message to other players around the league, as it says the Canucks don't respect their veterans and the Canucks management team lacks class! No players are ever going to want to willing play in Vancouver again until both Gillis and Torts are gone.Torts bad rep predates his time in Vancouver.

This team is imploding fast, really really fast. It seems now that almost everyone wants out of here and we are on par with Edmonton in terms of attracting players right now.

To be fair to Eddie Lack who has done nothing wrong, the chants today should have been "Fire Gillis"

[Grapefruits]

FFS Luo is still a person. Stop acting like money is everything.

He is a professional athlete, not getting the start is part of the job.

[hsedin33]

Apparently people boo'd Lack when they put his picture on the jumbotron

There were quite a few Ottawa fans there, I wonder if anyone considered that maybe it was the Ottawa fans who boo'd Lack?

[Toyotasfan]

There were quite a few Ottawa fans there, I wonder if anyone considered that maybe it was the Ottawa fans who boo'd Lack?

[Miss Korea Bob.Loblaw]

There were quite a few Ottawa fans there, I wonder if anyone considered that maybe it was the Ottawa fans who boo'd Lack?

Doesn't seem to be the case. Maybe some evil Sens fans started it, but that's as far as the blame goes.

I love how people tried to explain after the game that it was against the staff and management. Classic garbage from the fans who jeered at Luongo when he'd get pulled.

[Toyotasfan]

I think they were saying Boo-urns sir

[Quoted]

There were quite a few Ottawa fans there, I wonder if anyone considered that maybe it was the Ottawa fans who boo'd Lack?

No, it seemed to be mostly Canucks fans but at least in my section it was really obvious that the boos were aimed at Torts, not Lack, as they came with a lot of anti-Torts stuff.

[Bob Singh]

could Lack have backed down and give the start to Luongo if he really wanted to?

[Raph]

I don't understand this "hot hand". Luongo never even got a chance to play since Olympic break. And it's not like goaltending has been a major factor in us losing games. Both goalies have been playing well this season.

Let's change the scenario and say New Jersey was doing their Heritage Classic this year. Similar situation, both Schneider and Brodeur have similar stats and win percentages. Do you really think Brodeur would not have gotten the start even if Schneider got a shutout the game before? It would be all over the NHL.com front page if Brodeur didn't start.

What ever happened to having a little faith in your veteran players? If memory serves me correctly, before the 1994, Kirk McLean was playing poorly towards the end of the season and there was a controversy to start Kay Whitmore instead.