Goaltending Duo

[Hindustan Smyl]

2 hours ago, Unknown1995 said:

Luongo in his first year was probably the best goalie we ever had. In that first year, he literally won games on his own. His glove hand was the best I had ever seen in a Canuck goalie. His lateral movements were unreal. 

 

Then the groin injury happened. 

After his groin injury he was never the same.

 

Don’t get me wrong, he was still very good but not at the level he was in his first year. I feel like if he never had that groin injury he would have had a MUCH better career. 

 

That first year he was very entertaining to watch and he got nominated for the vezina and had 47 wins. He also got nominated again in 2011. And won the Jennings trophy with Schneider in 2011. 

 

Compare that to Markstrom and Demko. Although they might get to that point in the future, but as of right now, not even close. 

 

(Luongo was so good in his first season with us, that it was what got me interested in this team. He was THAT good. I wish I could show you guys video of him during that time but none seem to do him justice.)

 

He set the bar so high during his first season, that imo he never came back to that level (because of groin injury) and that when he had those meltdowns in later years he would get criticized by fans and media alike. It wasn’t that they didn’t like him it’s just that they all knew what he was capable of. 

 

 

 

 

Great post and I completely agree.

 

I’m always surprised when people say that Luongo was still “just as good” from 2009 onwards as he was from 2006-2008.    Luongo was still an excellent goalie, but it was obvious that he wasn’t the same goalie as he was during his first 2.5 seasons.    A part of it can be attributed to the groin injury (as you point out), but I also think the 2009 series against Chicago mentally damaged Luongo’s brain a little (Kane, Toews, and Byfuglien being the biggest culprits).   
 

Lou was a great goalie, but he had a bad habit of letting certain teams get into his psyche (I.e.  Chicago, Boston, Minnesota).   
 

I would argue however that it wasn’t just Luongo that was mentally fragile.   The entire Gillis era Canucks (2008-2013) was a mentally fragile group that could be pushed to a path of self doubt if pushed hard enough.    They were the most talented and successful group that we ever had, but they were very “San Jose-ish” in terms of their ability to fragility.  
 

Anyways - I’m getting off topic a bit, but man........that Luongo from 2006-2008 really was something.   He absolutely stonewalled Dallas in 07.   
 

With regards to this current core of Canucks, they still have a ways to go before they can compare themselves to our 2010-2012 teams, but I don’t see “mental fragility” being a future issue for this core.    The only real weakness I see from this team, is that they don’t have a clue on how to play against teams that trap, which is why they’ve struggled so mightily against teams like New Jersey and Arizona.    Canucks need to figure that out otherwise it will haunt them at some point.

[IBatch]

11 hours ago, Kevin Biestra said:

 

Heh, I was camping for a Canucks vs Leafs game in 94.  We all crowded around the back of this rich girl's truck.  She had a bloody satellite TV.

Awesome.  That must have been quite the camping trip - we had a buddies new used trailer and some tents out in the Cowichan area on the far end of the lake and a Kleenex box sized radio.  

 

  It was early yet so nobody else was seen the entire weekend- thought we were alone until we heard the screaming when Bure scored in OT.   After that I didn’t miss a game on TV, the Dallas series wasn’t as hard as Calgary - and we b!tch slapped the supposed favourite Leafs (Gilmour team).  One thing I remember most was (Hunter) going after Gilmour relentlessly, and the other team not liking it one bit - he had 28 points that playoffs and we got right under their skin - poor Don Cherry ha ha.  After Calgary and Dallas (who were better then the Leafs against us at least), we steam rolled them.  

[Kevin Biestra]

2 hours ago, IBatch said:

Awesome.  That must have been quite the camping trip - we had a buddies new used trailer and some tents out in the Cowichan area on the far end of the lake and a Kleenex box sized radio.  

 

  It was early yet so nobody else was seen the entire weekend- thought we were alone until we heard the screaming when Bure scored in OT.   After that I didn’t miss a game on TV, the Dallas series wasn’t as hard as Calgary - and we b!tch slapped the supposed favourite Leafs (Gilmour team).  One thing I remember most was (Hunter) going after Gilmour relentlessly, and the other team not liking it one bit - he had 28 points that playoffs and we got right under their skin - poor Don Cherry ha ha.  After Calgary and Dallas (who were better then the Leafs against us at least), we steam rolled them.  

 

I had a spider sense that year.  I had never done it before but I knew something was coming so I taped every game from Game 1 against Calgary on the VCR (other than the camping game where I had someone tape it for me).  Don't know how I sensed it but...  Anyway, I went the first day playoff tickets were available and bought the farthest game in advance they were selling on day one (end of round 2) and there was nobody buying any tickets for anything because the Canucks had done so much worse than the last two years in the regular season.

 

Then by round three I couldn't have bought a ticket for another game if I had emptied my bank account at the time.

Edited October 30, 2019 by Kevin Biestra

[IBatch]

1 hour ago, Kevin Biestra said:

 

I had a spider sense that year.  I had never done it before but I knew something was coming so I taped every game from Game 1 against Calgary on the VCR (other than the camping game where I had someone tape it for me).  Don't know how I sensed it but...  Anyway, I went the first day playoff tickets were available and bought the farthest game in advance they were selling on day one (end of round 2) and there was nobody buying any tickets for anything because the Canucks had done so much worse than the last two years in the regular season.

 

Then by round three I couldn't have bought a ticket for another game if I had emptied my bank account at the time.

Awesome.  Game seven of the Stanley Cup final I was working and told my boss I wanted to get the day done as early as possible..normally we finished around 4:30-5:00...worked my ass of (landscape labour) to try and get the work done early but it didn’t work out.  Got back to his place at just after 4:00 and had to take my bike.  Normally it would take 15 minutes to get home - As soon as I got on my bike and started home I started to cry - I’d watched every game since that camping trip and was invested in it as much as anyone else.   Never biked harder in my life, up hills, raced through res lights, ignored stop signs by the time I put my bike in the underground garage and locked it up I was panting and shaking.   Ran down the hall.   Door was unlocked and my roommate was on the couch watching...missed a minute or two of the first period...one of the few times I’ve cried since I was a kid ever.   These Canucks really get to you sometimes - and I can feel it in my spidey sense right now that this year we are witnessing history ... Damn GMJB did a quick job of the rebuild under some really bad circumstances.   See a ton of similarities in this team with the 91-94 one. 

[Kevin Biestra]

3 hours ago, IBatch said:

Awesome.  Game seven of the Stanley Cup final I was working and told my boss I wanted to get the day done as early as possible..normally we finished around 4:30-5:00...worked my ass of (landscape labour) to try and get the work done early but it didn’t work out.  Got back to his place at just after 4:00 and had to take my bike.  Normally it would take 15 minutes to get home - As soon as I got on my bike and started home I started to cry - I’d watched every game since that camping trip and was invested in it as much as anyone else.   Never biked harder in my life, up hills, raced through res lights, ignored stop signs by the time I put my bike in the underground garage and locked it up I was panting and shaking.   Ran down the hall.   Door was unlocked and my roommate was on the couch watching...missed a minute or two of the first period...one of the few times I’ve cried since I was a kid ever.   These Canucks really get to you sometimes - and I can feel it in my spidey sense right now that this year we are witnessing history ... Damn GMJB did a quick job of the rebuild under some really bad circumstances.   See a ton of similarities in this team with the 91-94 one. 

 

Yeah, I haven't said it on here before I don't think, but I have said that I am seeing hints of similarities from that exact window (91-94).  Let's hope we're not jumping the gun...  But there is a similar sort of distribution of talent and roles.  Guys that seem to have rough counterparts on those teams down to major supporting guys like Craven and Babych.

 

Just imagine if Juolevi turns out to be something other than the D version of Jason Herter.

[IBatch]

40 minutes ago, Kevin Biestra said:

 

Yeah, I haven't said it on here before I don't think, but I have said that I am seeing hints of similarities from that exact window (91-94).  Let's hope we're not jumping the gun...  But there is a similar sort of distribution of talent and roles.  Guys that seem to have rough counterparts on those teams down to major supporting guys like Craven and Babych.

 

Just imagine if Juolevi turns out to be something other than the D version of Jason Herter.

Babych was one of my favourite players back then - watched him hip check Probert with a reverse hit (he was coming in with steam) - and he flew right over his head.    Was a master of the hold - so strong he could keep players from moving with one hand and keep his stick available at the same time / got called maybe one out of twenty times - wouldn’t get away with it in today’s game.   I might be overreacting, but I’m not the only one I know that’s mentioned the same thing (similarities between the teams, and I keep a pretty small circle now) - for me it’s not so much as direct comparisons but the vibe I’m getting from the team.  Sure there will be some bumps on the road (was back then too), but feel like this teams got the IT factor and something coming.   Hope I’m right - probably too bold and a little early yet, but I like this team a lot more then I have in a long time.   Horvats team has the foundation to be one of the greatest. 

[Kevin Biestra]

55 minutes ago, IBatch said:

Babych was one of my favourite players back then - watched him hip check Probert with a reverse hit (he was coming in with steam) - and he flew right over his head.    Was a master of the hold - so strong he could keep players from moving with one hand and keep his stick available at the same time / got called maybe one out of twenty times - wouldn’t get away with it in today’s game.   I might be overreacting, but I’m not the only one I know that’s mentioned the same thing (similarities between the teams, and I keep a pretty small circle now) - for me it’s not so much as direct comparisons but the vibe I’m getting from the team.  Sure there will be some bumps on the road (was back then too), but feel like this teams got the IT factor and something coming.   Hope I’m right - probably too bold and a little early yet, but I like this team a lot more then I have in a long time.   Horvats team has the foundation to be one of the greatest. 

 

Yeah Babych was probably my favorite non-goalie of all time.  I remember at the end of his run in the NHL he was playing for Philadelphia with his body falling apart.  Scored a goal with maybe a minute left to get Philly into overtime in the game where they were facing elimination.  And then he saved some stranded hikers a couple years ago.

 

And still the only defenceman hat trick in 50 years of Canucks history.

 

It's a shame (for him) that he got hurt fairly early in his career and was on Wpg / Hfd / Van instead of the Oilers or Islanders or Penguins.  He would be in the Hall of Fame if the latter scenario had happened.  He would have made a good Brad Park to Coffey's Orr.

Edited October 30, 2019 by Kevin Biestra

[Guest]

16 hours ago, Hindustan Smyl said:

Great post and I completely agree.

 

I’m always surprised when people say that Luongo was still “just as good” from 2009 onwards as he was from 2006-2008.    Luongo was still an excellent goalie, but it was obvious that he wasn’t the same goalie as he was during his first 2.5 seasons.    A part of it can be attributed to the groin injury (as you point out), but I also think the 2009 series against Chicago mentally damaged Luongo’s brain a little (Kane, Toews, and Byfuglien being the biggest culprits).   
 

Lou was a great goalie, but he had a bad habit of letting certain teams get into his psyche (I.e.  Chicago, Boston, Minnesota).   
 

I would argue however that it wasn’t just Luongo that was mentally fragile.   The entire Gillis era Canucks (2008-2013) was a mentally fragile group that could be pushed to a path of self doubt if pushed hard enough.    They were the most talented and successful group that we ever had, but they were very “San Jose-ish” in terms of their ability to fragility.  
 

Anyways - I’m getting off topic a bit, but man........that Luongo from 2006-2008 really was something.   He absolutely stonewalled Dallas in 07.   
 

With regards to this current core of Canucks, they still have a ways to go before they can compare themselves to our 2010-2012 teams, but I don’t see “mental fragility” being a future issue for this core.    The only real weakness I see from this team, is that they don’t have a clue on how to play against teams that trap, which is why they’ve struggled so mightily against teams like New Jersey and Arizona.    Canucks need to figure that out otherwise it will haunt them at some point.

What I found interesting was that before that first series we played against Chicago, we beat them 4-0 or something like that and we had a big fight. And Luongo looked really good that game. 

 

Then there was that game where Kane had a hat-trick and we lost 7-5, which I hated at the time, but man those were some nice goals by Kane looking back at it. 

 

 

Edited October 31, 2019 by Guest