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

[canuck73_3]

I wouldn't have.

Why hasn't Horvat been called up and Burrows sent down?

Horvat is younger and faster and can actually put the puck in the net.

See? Exactly the same.

Luongo is the starter. He should get most of the starts.

Tonight just proved one thing, that Lack isn't ready to take over the "big" games.

Don't get me wrong, I like Lack. Just like I liked Schneider. But this is Luongo's team. He was hired for this position.

Horvat can't be called up so...

[Drakrami]

Lack earned this start Luongo did not

just because Luongo somehow deserves this for having a rough time battling his back up in previous seasons for the net doesn't make it true

Luongo will play next game end of story but hey lets spin this into another poor Luongo story his feelings must be hurt

Is Luongo our starter or is Lack our starter?

In special events like these, you play the starter.

Hell, even if you don't play the starter, you are supposed to play the veteran who has served the team for years. Notice how NJ played Brodeur during their outdoor game over Schneider?

I can only accept the reasoning that Lu wasn't played if he has been playing poorly, which is not the case at all.

There's something f***ed up with this team.

[Jaimito]

No. Seriously, just no. I was at the game and witnessed the Lu chants. I also had the chance to talk to 15+ people throughout the game afterwards, who all had the EXACT same sentiments towards it, which were - roughly - "I love Lack, he's an awesome backup for us and he's going to be great for years to come. But you don't just continually slap our allstat goaltender in the face for years and then expect to find yourself as a competitive franchise that can draw in big name players".

Face it, Vancouver as a sports city has had enough bad flack from the media these past years, and there is absolutely no reason to continue that. I can promise you, those chants were in NO way directed towards Eddie. They were a direct shot to the coaching staff and management. I think a lot of fans, after the prior Luongo fiascos, we're able to take a step back, look at how a player of his stature was treated, and realize just what we have and realize how terrible we were to such a great asset, and most of us don't want to go down that road again.

So please, don't even start on how the "crowd turned against Lack". Never happened.

exactly. We all cheered when he made big saves throughout the game.

[Jaimito]

Classless move by classless management.

Enjoy having goalie with 9 career wins as your starter.

they also wanted to keep the one career playoff winner Cory last yr as their franchise goalie.

burke was right. Goalie graveyard.

[rightasrain]

I think not being able to spell is embarassing.

[rightasrain]

I think that all the lou lovers are back in town. All that pent up stuff from last year is getting out.

[Baggins]

I don't think any other NHL fanbase turns on their own players faster than Canuck fans. Chanting Eddie, Eddie, Eddie one game and then chanting we want Lou the next game.

That said, my first thought when I heard Lack was starting again was, he's being showcased to see what we could get for him by the trade deadline. He is one of the few valuable pieces without an ntc after all.

[BigRedMachine]

I am the farthest thing from a Lou fanboy, but I have to agree with OP. Another stupid and classless move from an increasingly stupid and classless organization.

Through their own sheer incompetence, ownership, management and the coaching staff subjected this franchise to a year and a half long goaltending controversy that undermined the team and divided fans. We had finally resolved it and moved on. Rather than showing they have learned their lesson, the Canucks organization decide to show they don't have an ounce of common sense nor a shred of respect for their player or their fans, because they have once again, eyes wide open, ignited another goaltending controversy.

It was pretty clear to anyone paying attention that Lou really wanted to play in the Heritage Classic. It was also pretty clear to anyone paying attention that Lack was nervous about the possibility of playing in front of 50,000 fans. This game was no more important than any other in the standings, but obviously had some special significance for the players, especially Lou. Considering that have him signed for the next decade, and that management made the decision to keep him instead of Schneids, and bent over backwards to assure him he is a valued part of this organization, you would think they would have some interest in trying to keep him motivated and keep his confidence up. If so, you thought wrong.

Starting Lack in this game was a no-win situation. If Lack plays well, it fans the flames of controversy. If he plays poorly, then you have what happened last night. You can argue about Lack giving them a better chance to win and get into the playoffs, but at the end of the day, he is a rookie with 9 wins, he can't play every game, Luongo hasn't played an NHL game in weeks, and you probably don't want your veteran starter to be cold heading down the stretch. There was just no level on which the decision to start Lack made sense.

The worst part of this whole thing is that goaltending is not even our problem area. It is our strong point. We can feud all we want over who would be the better starter, but neither one of them is costing us games. We are losing because our forwards can't put the puck in the net. Rather than exploit our goaltending tandem as a strong point, Canucks management has again turned it into a vulnerability. Well played.

[ice orca]

Maybe just maybe Torts and management are pissed at Luongo for the remarks he made about the Kesler rumour. You know.. the sarcastic we all know how this ends. Shut yer trap Lou, keep it in the room with the 64mill you so hate

[Jagori]

I agree that the decision was wrong, I'll also say that every reason Tortorella stated doesn't quite justify why it was made and many seem to agree on that. I'm scratching my head over it, sure.

What has been CLASSLESS in all of this, is all of you.

I'm talking to fans.

Booing Lack? A backup who has given us more than we can ask in capable backup goaltending?

An amazing personality who has made every effort to participate in the community and embrace Vancouver as a city.

And a lot of you classless morons BOOO him?

Frankly we weren't tough enough when the Sens fought back, and we start chanting for our PLAYOFF SAVIOR because we have let in 3 goals on unfamiliar ice???

I don't despise Luongo, he is our #1 goaltender, he deserved to play. He should have played. But he didn't play, and the Vancouver mass did what it does best... Rioted all over the game.

Now those that joined in the boo's, will reply to this "They are professionals, athletes, paid to handle what we throw at them, they aren't babies"

The atmosphere you so-called-fans created right then and there was deserving of the loss that followed. Happens in Montreal a lot too, and how have they done?

Does it happen in Chicago? Can their players feel free to battle back and win games without atmospheres of ridicule and resentment? And win cups? It seems so doesn't it?

I hope this reassured Kesler that maybe leaving is truly the right move. I'm once again more dissapointed in my city than I am in my team.

[Jagori]

Another Canucks mobile app double post?

You would think after a season or two someone would fix that... But I guess not addressing the issues is becoming standard place around here.

[Rocksterh8]

Maybe just maybe Torts and management are pissed at Luongo for the remarks he made about the Kesler rumour. You know.. the sarcastic we all know how this ends. Shut yer trap Lou, keep it in the room with the 64mill you so hate

I think your spot on, at the beginning of the year torts and mgnt said twitter and other social should not be used with anything in regards to whats inside the locker room.... and I do think Lou has somewhat abused this...

[Ride the red Pony]

I think this falls right in line with Torts philosophy. If you play well you will be rewarded. I don't think he meant to slight Lou but more of a reward to Lack.

With that being said though, I think there should have been more conversation heading into the decision of what the repercussions may be and perhaps a sit down with the 2 goalies prior to the decision being made, as Lou looked and sounded like he was caught totally off guard.

I tend to agree that Lou should have gotten the start, but Torts reasoning was also sound. Wrong decision for THIS particular game.

[leaflurker]

Please, don't talk about "people like me". You don't know me. You don't know my love for the Canucks, or what I've gone through. You can not say that "people like me" are the reason for anything. I'm a 25 year old professional who enjoys watching the sport of hockey in his spare time.

Say what you want about the team, city, public - anything. But don't start tarnishing MY character, when you don't know me. I'm sure I have done more for this team than you ever have. Learn your place, kid.

25 is a great age. Enjoy it, don't drink and drive but do get your mack on.

[Rocksterh8]

There is only one reason Luongo did not start this game, he is not playing well with managment, example with social media like twitter etc, so mngmt is flexing their muscles the only way they can.

This is not a new problem and has prob been lingering for awhile and it does not just come from torts, its coming from the top. As fans the worst thing we can do is boo lack who had nothing to do with it.

There is only one thing that we as fans can do to change things and that is NOT BUY anything to do with the canucks! This is the only thing that the owner will take notice of and if they start loosing enough revenue, maybe he will sell the franchise and change all the crap they call management!

This franchise is complete garbage now and needs to be changed, there is no other way to look at it.

[The-Impersonator]

There is only one reason Luongo did not start this game, he is not playing well with managment, example with social media like twitter etc, so mngmt is flexing their muscles the only way they can.

This is not a new problem and has prob been lingering for awhile and it does not just come from torts, its coming from the top. As fans the worst thing we can do is boo lack who had nothing to do with it.

There is only one thing that we as fans can do to change things and that is NOT BUY anything to do with the canucks! This is the only thing that the owner will take notice of and if they start loosing enough revenue, maybe he will sell the franchise and change all the crap they call management!

This franchise is complete garbage now and needs to be changed, there is no other way to look at it.

You are completely wrong. Lu is Aquillinis man. He pulled the triggered the Schneider trade.

[Brick Tamland]

The most ridiculous opinions ever showing up here. No one is entitled to these games.

Lui lost 5 in a row heading into the break.

Lack got the start out of the break due to jetlag and pitched a shutout.

He started vs Minny, played very well.

Lui made a statement about Kes knowing how it turns out here, putting his humor ahead of the team instead of saying ' no comment'

Lack got the start... Easy decision.

2 points first, if you haven't figured out that Torts only cares about the 2 points... get a clue already

[MLT]

There is only one reason Luongo did not start this game, he is not playing well with managment, example with social media like twitter etc, so mngmt is flexing their muscles the only way they can.

This is not a new problem and has prob been lingering for awhile and it does not just come from torts, its coming from the top. As fans the worst thing we can do is boo lack who had nothing to do with it.

There is only one thing that we as fans can do to change things and that is NOT BUY anything to do with the canucks! This is the only thing that the owner will take notice of and if they start loosing enough revenue, maybe he will sell the franchise and change all the crap they call management!

This franchise is complete garbage now and needs to be changed, there is no other way to look at it.

Your speculation is most likely completely incorrect. That is all.

[RUPERTKBD]

The real reason is that the coaching staff felt that Lack gave the team the best chance to win.

It was a calculated risk that blew up in their faces, but there isn't any sinister agenda, as some seem to believe.

[Mikael Samuelsson]

I thought it was just me but I saw him blinking that in morse code from the bench