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

[King Heffy]

You're entitled to your perceptions and opinions on the whole Luongo scenario, of course.

But you lose all credibility with your last statement. You make it sound humiliating to be #2 on the greatest hockey team in the world. I don't think Lu minded and neither would any other elite NHL goalie. I'd say Lu being #2 on that team was pretty great.

Wasn't what CDC seemed to think, where people were calling for Price to be injured in order to sabotage their own country's team.

I don't think management trusts Luongo in the playoffs, and I can't say I blame them. Outside of his first season here, he hasn't had a single playoffs without either stinking up the joint for at least one series, or losing his job as the starter. They probably wanted to see how Lack handles pressure situations; all things considered, he didn't do THAT badly. Certainly better than Luongo against Chicago or Boston in the playoffs. I'm hoping they manage to trade him, but I think a buyout this offseason is in everyone's best interests. Let Booth play out his contract as we aren't going to be contenders before it expires anyway.

[viking mama]

I'm sick and tired of everyone saying "WOW, The Canucks management is so classless. We have by far one of the most bipolar fan bases in the NHL. Last year half the fan base was against Roberto Luongo and have been for many years. Now all of a sudden everyone's a huge Luo fan. The worst thing that came from yesterdays Heritage Classic was the fact that our own fan base BOO'ed Eddie Lack when his name was announced over the PA and the We want LOU chants.

I know many fans are not apart of this problem. If you're part of this problem simply give your head a shake. I don't understand why people would be mad at Eddie? Be mad at Torts idc but, how can you blame Eddie? I'm sick and tired of the classless organization remarks, when our own fan base is classless.

Just my two cents.

Uh...the fans Luuuuuuuued....as he appeared on the big screen. Totally different motivations - there. Gheez!

[ey40]

After starting the first 2 games in the 2012 Playoffs, AV decided to sit Luongo and start Schneider the rest of the way.

After starting the first 2 games in the 2013 Playoffs, AV decided to sit Luongo again and start Schneider, who was just back from an injury, the rest of the way.

Then on Saturday Mar 1, 2014, Torts decided to start Lack in the Heritage Classic...

Yeah right, MG doesn't play a role in all this because he is fine with the idea of sitting a 6-million dollar goalie.

[lolwut?]

Tortorella was brought in here to make the team win. That's his job and he is going to do what he thinks gives the team the best chance to win. Regardless of what your or my personal opinions on whether this team is good enough to win in the playoffs are irrelevant.

OK great, so why are you talking about trying to make the playoffs as the reason behind starting Lack if you realize our opinions are irrelevent? Also, is Lu no longer allowed to win games or something? I must have missed that memo..

How do you know that if Lu was playing he wouldn't of let in 5 goals? To sit here and argue what ifs with you is completely meaningless. Lack was playing very good and stealing games when you only have so many games left and your goal is to make the playoffs you ride the hot hand.

First of all, its "wouldn't have", not "wouldn't of". If you're going to go on to call me kid, work on the grammar, genius.

Second, how is a shootout loss to Minnesota grounds to call Lack the hot hand?

Moreover, why put Lack, a rookie, in front of 50k people in a game where they so desperately needed the points, according to Torts, instead of playing your number one who just played on the world stage for the second time..? Any explanation for that one?

It started a rift because Lu acts like a little girl anytime he doesn't get what he wants. "I really wanted to play in the outdoor game", this isn't about Luongo getting what he wants its about the team and whats best for the team. And to be honest with you Lu hasn't really blown me away with his play this year. Look at Schneider in NJ okay he got told he was number 1 here then he gets traded to pretty much the same situation he was in here and look what he did he let his goal-tending do the talking he dethroned Brodeur. Lu has not done that, he has been average and average with this teams ability to score is not good enough.

Right, its all Lu's fault.. I bet you said the same thing in 2011 when the team couldn't score (clearly lots has changed) and he posted two shutouts but yeah, Lu's fault.

All this portion of your nonsense demonstrates is that you're still missing the point instead of reading my post.

Try to understand that it's not about Lu and all that crap and rhetoric which you spouted.. Its the fact that the TEAM as a whole has more to lose by not playing him.

If you think Lack would have played better that's fine. Play him the next ten games, I for one couldn't care less.

But THAT GAME.. A rare heritage classic game, to not start your franchise goaltender is damaging to your team's morale, it would be a slap in the face to ANY primary goaltender in the NHL, and its a damaging to the fans as you can clearly see amongst people posting both here on CDC and fans who were at the game.

Try to think about this for a second and put your whining and opinions of Lu aside and use some logic.

Okay kid this deserves a separate quotation.

Your points that you made are ridiculously stupid and I don't refer to myself as a genius but I can understand why you think I might be when when you compare me to yourself. Now then,

I follow this team way more closely than you do and I have stated many times on this forum, and else where, that this team is far from a Stanley cup favorite. I've stated many times that Edler, Garrison, Burrows, Hansen and Booth (if possible) should all be traded either at the trade deadline or at the draft to create a very quick rebuild and come back next year with a much better chance to win the Stanley cup.

The fact that you think this team is capable of making a "very quick rebuild" would suggest to me that you either don't understand hockey, don't understand the facts about this team and the players' contracts, or you're just abundantly ignorant.

And if you're interested to try to make it a pissing contest by saying "I follow this team way more closely than you", have at'er.. For all the extra time you're investing into following this team, you sure as $hit don't sound like you actually know a whole lot about this team or hockey in general.

Edit:

..Genius.

[viking mama]

If I interpret your gibberish correctly you seem to be saying that the "star" players egos SHOULD be more important than the group, especially Lou's. Wrong wrong wrong.

No. (and I fixed the gibberish, posted in haste) I'm saying that seniority & star power do matter in many instances....when you are in the sports entertainment business. In the case of marketing or union representation,... it's a good thing. And in the case of a widely broadcast & highly anticipated feature game, like the Heritage Classic, honouring successful teams & players of the past...Luongo on all fronts, had earned a start in that.

Tortorella wants to have inter-changeable cogs in a machine. Not a collection of unique specialists & individual talents with highly creative minds. He even admits - he doesn't coach offense...& leaves all of that up to the players. And - what's this team missing right now? Offense!

When assessing himself & this team after returning from his suspension - Tortorella talked about learning this one very important lesson....that he must attempt to motivate some players differently from others - due to the differences in their individual make-up. He noted how certain players would react well to certain means of motivation....while others did not & would not. This is what he said he needed to change most within his coaching-style. Then he makes a blunderous coaching decision....like THIS!

Lesson learned? Uh...no....Tortorella still royally fails at this one.

Lesson learned NOT nearly well enough!

[BI3KSA-]

hahahaha.. as a Canucks fan it's quite funny and hilarious because I really hate seeing all these garbage piling up. I think the last time I posted was telling everyone that they are bumping Cory's value before they trade him away cause Lu wasn't going anywhere and had people lashing out at me that no that is not going to happen and Cory is going to stay and such as. Anyways back to topic, I don't post much here and I am not here to write a novel so excuse my bad internet grammars and so on.

As for the Heritage game, like honestly WTF? Are the people behind the coaching bench and upstairs making way too much money to think properly and had a few drinks too many? If Forest Gump is an actual person, he would probably made a more logical and better decision in who's going between the pipes for this game. Did the Lu-Cory soap opera wasn't a good learning curve in how to properly and efficiently buildup the players moral? Look, I am not frustrated on who's going to play which game or between the pipes, but this is a Heritage game which only happen so often at home ice (what once every 5-10 years if that?). Great that Lack is performing better then Lu (by the way I am not a Lu fan fanatic) and great that the coaching stuff or GM is letting him play more games, but this is the freaking Heritage game and honestly whether we win or lose it will not make that much of a difference on what place the team is in now cause the overall players moral just isn't around.

Here's your so called #1 goaltender (Lu) who has been with the team for quite some time now and been with some of the players thru thick and think over the years and like it or not, he was one of the key players along with others who took the team to game 7 of the Stanley Cup finals and regular season conference champs. I am not saying he is deserving or not but he earned his place to be between the pipes for this game. Yes sure all the players are paid to play their game, but does the coaching staff or whoever even think for a second? This game is not about wining or losing to be honest, this game should be used as a golden opportunity for the boneheads making all the wrong decisions so far to cleanup abit get the players back into playing for the coach or whoever.

After this, who the heck is really going to respect and play with their heart for the coach or the team if that's what you want to call it? It takes heart to win games and I don't see many 'Nucks players putting their heart out there for this 'Nucks coach now. For some of you who don't have the faintest idea of what I am talking about, watch some little leagues and see how they coach and play. Or if you look back at the days when you are playing for your high school team. You play harder and really put yourself out there when you have respect for your coach or have a better bond with him/her.

Anyways, I am just blabbling away again and some of you probably lash out at me again or don't understand what I am trying to say or point out, but let my words speak for itself at the end of this season. hahahahaha.. P.S. 'Nucks coaching staff, get your head out of your arses and get your players hearts playing for you or start passing out the VIP discount cards to the players and yourself at the Vancouver golf course. (eye rolling) take notes you boneheads or feel free to call me up for psychology 101, but don't expect me to answer because I don't always have time for ignorance in this world.

PSS. These are the decisions they paid the so called decision makers for, millions of dollars? Decisions that my pet turtle can draft out better? BTW don't go trading Lu away now unless you boneheads planning to rebuild the team now because trading Lu away means hitting the golf course early for the next couple of years but that shouldn't really happen cause you guys just signed the Sedins, so I say how about wake the heck up or do some management change instead I expect a cheque in the mail for this advice

Writes a novel

[thema]

No. (and I fixed the gibberish, posted in haste) I'm saying that seniority & star power do matter in many instances....when you are in the sports entertainment business. In the case of marketing or union representation,... it's a good thing. And in the case of a widely broadcast & anticipated feature game, honouring successful teams & players of the past...Luongo on all fronts, had earned a start in that. Tortorella wants to have inter-changeable cogs in a machine. Not a collection of unique specialists & individual talents with creative minds.

When assessing himself & this team after his suspension - Tortorella talked about learning this important lesson....that he must attempt to motivate some players differently from others - due to the differences in their individual make-up. He noted how certain players would react well to certain means of motivation....while others did not. This is what he said he needed to change with his coaching-style. Then he goes & makes a blundering coaching decision....like THIS!

Lesson learned? Uh... NO. Tortorella still royals fails at this one.

Lesson NOT learned - well enough.

So you would agree with me that if we were to go by your criteria that "seniority and star power" trump whoever is playing better then Lou would never have got into the net during the Vancouver Olympics? Brodeur had one not-so-hot game (against the silver medalist USA who were easily the toughest team we played that year) and yet Team Canada showed him no respect whatsoever by replacing him at the first opportunity despite owning almost every NHL goaltending record. Why? BECAUSE WINNING WAS MORE IMPORTANT! Lack was playing red hot hockey leading up to the Classic; Lou had been very average leading up to the Olympics, had been dormant for weeks and, most importantly, has a history to melting down in high pressure situations. In a game where we need every point we can get I think Torts made the right call. Had we have won far fewer people here would be angry. If Lou gets ventilated against Phoenix what will all the whiners say then? We'll pick up this conversation after that game, eh?

[Kooly89]

Writes a novel

Hahahahaha.. believe me, it was going to be longer but why bother wasting my time on telling the boneheads standing behind the Canuck's bench on how to win games when Mr John Tortorella wants to play God. Just like I said for the last couple of years, the current Canucks organization don't deserve Lu or AV or matter of fact any success for how they go about handling situations and the respect and gratitude they showed toward those individuals whom brought success to this current organization. If I am Lu I will pack my bags and leave this circus because this team is on the verge of collapsing and the only way for it to show some signs of life is to ummmm.. coaching staff change or all together both coaching and mangement personel change? The reality is, regardless if we are pros or not, at the end of the day we are all humans with feelings. After this total incomprehensive decision for the Heritage game, I don't know how many of the 'Nucks players are really going to put their heart into playing for Mr John Tortorella. PERIOD!

[RUPERTKBD]

2 mins each for oldnews and poetica ...

Unsportsmanlike? Delay of Game?

it wasn't the bure goal it was the courtnall OT goal

legend has it he told ronning on the bench the next shot he was taking was going top corner as he worked an alleged illegal curve onto this stick.

next thing you know top of the circle slapper top cheddar to win in OT

Ah yes. I did catch that.

Complete non-story. Over the course of time, probably hundreds of goals have been scored with illegal sticks. Compared to Otto kicking in a series winner against the 'Nucks, this is less than nothing.

[DarthNinja]

Ah yes. I did catch that.

Complete non-story. Over the course of time, probably hundreds of goals have been scored with illegal sticks. Compared to Otto kicking in a series winner against the 'Nucks, this is less than nothing.

I remember we used to cook our blades over the stove to soften the wood and then increase the curve. Sometimes the curves would be downright ridiculous!

The best though is when you call the other team out on an illegal stick and turn out to be right!

[Salmonberries]

Torts is just trying to win hockey games. Failing miserably sure, but that's what I think he's trying to do.

[Jagori]

The FANS were classless and embarrassing, the FANS.

Boo'ing Lack. Chanting Lu. We got the performance we deserved by the atmosphere fans created.

[viking mama]

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

Lack's too young, naive, & completely honest to ever consider an act of defiance against the wishes of the head coach......but - I bet it crossed his mind more than once...to consider whether or not those were only butterflies in his stomach...or something more debilitating like active-flu symptoms.

[viking mama]

Hahahahaha.. believe me, it was going to be longer but why bother wasting my time on telling the boneheads standing behind the Canuck's bench on how to win games when Mr John Tortorella wants to play God. Just like I said for the last couple of years, the current Canucks organization don't deserve Lu or AV or matter of fact any success for how they go about handling situations and the respect and gratitude they showed toward those individuals whom brought success to this current organization. If I am Lu I will pack my bags and leave this circus because this team is on the verge of collapsing and the only way for it to show some signs of life is to ummmm.. coaching staff change or all together both coaching and mangement personel change? The reality is, regardless if we are pros or not, at the end of the day we are all humans with feelings. After this total incomprehensive decision for the Heritage game, I don't know how many of the 'Nucks players are really going to put their heart into playing for Mr John Tortorella. PERIOD!

I do not disagree.

LOL. It's time for Tortorella & his players to have a very open sharing circle!

[Mackcanuck]

I heard on the radio this morning that Lou is starting tonight in PHO

If it is true and these 2 points are so essential, why isn't Lack starting if he gives us the best

chance to win?

The logical starts if Lack is the hot hand and gives us the best chance to win is

Lou would have played OTT. and the 4 pointer against PHO. goes to Lack.

The Heritage Classic start is puzzling to say the least

It looks as tho 92 points might secure a wildcard now which means 13-6 to finish the season

IMO we are done but I would think Torts thinks differently

[viking mama]

So you would agree with me that if we were to go by your criteria that "seniority and star power" trump whoever is playing better then Lou would never have got into the net during the Vancouver Olympics? Brodeur had one not-so-hot game (against the silver medalist USA who were easily the toughest team we played that year) and yet Team Canada showed him no respect whatsoever by replacing him at the first opportunity despite owning almost every NHL goaltending record. Why? BECAUSE WINNING WAS MORE IMPORTANT! Lack was playing red hot hockey leading up to the Classic; Lou had been very average leading up to the Olympics, had been dormant for weeks and, most importantly, has a history to melting down in high pressure situations. In a game where we need every point we can get I think Torts made the right call. Had we have won far fewer people here would be angry. If Lou gets ventilated against Phoenix what will all the whiners say then? We'll pick up this conversation after that game, eh?

Was Lack really playin' better than Lu...by light-years? All things being almost equal....and after the kid took a loss...in this particular "feature" Game broadcast to all 4 corners of the earth....which was hyped to be a thank-you spectacle for the fans & the players alike & not the cash-grab it really was....yes - Torts should have played Lu, the goalie with seniority & star-power & the clear sentimental, retro-favorite of the fans. Lu also had the experience & more proven track-record playing in games of high-fan-fare & pressure. This should also have been to his credit & tilted the scales. I think his presense in net would have also motivated his teammates signifigantly. That's the 3rd period re-set move - that the fans were trying to insite Tortorella to deploy...with their Luuuu's.

This wasn't an Olympic medal-round game....or the Stanley-Cup final....but it was the much-hyped & perhaps once-in-a-lifetime-for-some, "Heritage Classic"! No goalie is more recognized as the "best to have ever played " in that position for VanCity, statistically-speaking, than...Roberto Luongo! He should have be awarded that start..for those reasons... & yes... some but not all of those reasons are sentimental ones. The same sentiment that sees a back-up get the start in his hometown...'cuz odds are - he will be uber-motivated & rise-up to the challenge & play well. That entire "Heritage Classic" spectacle was about honouring VanCity hockey heritage.... & sentimentality! How very ironic then - that Tortorella completely MISSED that...& the entire organization has egg on their faces to show for it.

A total mis-fire by the coach...& by extension a mark against GM Gillis & the Aquilini family, as well.

[taiwanchik]

Never asked for a trade.

Never said he was done with the team and city.

GMMG and Torts said he'll be the #1.

Luongo just dont want to play one game. He wants to play them all.

Lu came back and is still sitting on the bench.

Haven't played bad to lose the starting job.

He's been dealing with this since the end of 2011. And he has been sucking it up.

1. Luongo may not have directly asked for a trade but he implied it by saying he's willing to waive his no-trade clause if it meant helping the team upgrade. He said this after the playoffs and the fact that he lost his playoff starts as well.

2. What goalie doesn't want to play every game? In fact, which pro player likes riding the pine or being scratched for a game or doesn't mind just playing less than 5 minutes a game? No one.

3. Management would have you hear that they are just giving Luongo rest time because of jet lag after the Olympics or they are going with the hot hand. I don't buy either. Luongo I'm certain would have liked to played more in the Olympics but had to suck it up and not say anything. He got snubbed in the Olympics he would have been really motivated for the Heritage Classic. It's something he really wanted to play in. He was looking forward to it all season. It's not like he's some journeyman goalie. Luongo is an elite and well respected goalie (except maybe in Vancouver. Heck, they even booed Lack).

[viking mama]

Wasn't what CDC seemed to think, where people were calling for Price to be injured in order to sabotage their own country's team.

I don't think management trusts Luongo in the playoffs, and I can't say I blame them. Outside of his first season here, he hasn't had a single playoffs without either stinking up the joint for at least one series, or losing his job as the starter. They probably wanted to see how Lack handles pressure situations; all things considered, he didn't do THAT badly. Certainly better than Luongo against Chicago or Boston in the playoffs. I'm hoping they manage to trade him, but I think a buyout this offseason is in everyone's best interests. Let Booth play out his contract as we aren't going to be contenders before it expires anyway.

What? Luongo was arguably one of the best players on the ice in the VAN vs SJ series last year....it was shocking to most that Schneider was deployed after being rushed back from injury & when rusty & less-orientated into the series as Lu so obviously was.

I think all parties know that Lu is no longer invested here ...for the long term. But - this "Heritage" send-off might have been a day to attempt to grab a little of that ol' sentimentality & glory back...to see him thru till season's end. That opportunity is lost &...now gone.

[Ride the red Pony]

Was Lack really playin' better than Lu...by light-years? All things being almost equal....and after the kid took a loss...in this particular "feature" Game broadcast to all 4 corners of the earth....which was hyped to be a thank-you spectacle for the fans & the players alike & not the cash-grab it really was....yes - Torts should have played Lu, the goalie with seniority & star-power & the clear sentimental, retro-favorite of the fans. Lu also had the experience & more proven track-record playing in games of high-fan-fare & pressure. This should also have been to his credit & tilted the scales. I think his presense in net would have also motivated his teammates signifigantly. That's the 3rd period re-set move - that the fans were trying to insite Tortorella to deploy...with their Luuuu's.

This wasn't an Olympic medal-round game....or the Stanley-Cup final....but it was the much-hyped & perhaps once-in-a-lifetime-for-some, "Heritage Classic"! No goalie is more recognized as the "best to have ever played " in that position for VanCity, statistically-speaking, than...Roberto Luongo! He should have be awarded that start..for those reasons... & yes... some but not all of those reasons are sentimental ones. The same sentiment that sees a back-up get the start in his hometown...'cuz odds are - he will be uber-motivated & rise-up to the challenge & play well. That entire "Heritage Classic" spectacle was about honouring VanCity hockey heritage.... & sentimentality! How very ironic then - that Tortorella completely MISSED that...& the entire organization has egg on their faces to show for it.

A total mis-fire by the coach...& by extension a mark against GM Gillis & the Aquilini family, as well.

For the most part I agree with what you have been saying Mama. With that being said, if it wasn't that Torts and his staff truly thought that Lack gave the "TEAM" the best chance to win, then in your opinion what was his or the organizations motivation?

[viking mama]

1. Luongo may not have directly asked for a trade but he implied it by saying he's willing to waive his no-trade clause if it meant helping the team upgrade. He said this after the playoffs and the fact that he lost his playoff starts as well.

2. What goalie doesn't want to play every game? In fact, which pro player likes riding the pine or being scratched for a game or doesn't mind just playing less than 5 minutes a game? No one.

3. Management would have you hear that they are just giving Luongo rest time because of jet lag after the Olympics or they are going with the hot hand. I don't buy either. Luongo I'm certain would have liked to played more in the Olympics but had to suck it up and not say anything. He got snubbed in the Olympics he would have been really motivated for the Heritage Classic. It's something he really wanted to play in. He was looking forward to it all season. It's not like he's some journeyman goalie. Luongo is an elite and well respected goalie (except maybe in Vancouver. Heck, they even booed Lack).

For the umpteenth time...they did not BOO Lack.

They Luuuued to have Tortorella activate Lu & get this veteran player into that game...even later - in hopes of seeing him save the day & re-set & re-motivate his team for a glorious comeback. That would have been a great script - right? Many fans thought so....and they Luuuuued as the goalies (either of them) appeared on the big screen - wrong or right! Sometimes they Luuued as the duo were beside one another on breaks. This was the grass-roots protest plan & campaign from the start of the game...to shame Torts...& get him to change his mind & deploy Lu. Even - Lack re-tweeted that he was of that sentiment.

Torts has played some crazy dressing-room head-game nonsence here with his players... with this choice. Conflicted feelings were everywhere. He's outta touch with the room. Tortorella is such an authoritarian...and NOT at all the players' coach he professes to be... with that call. That's my take. Torts is the greater inflated EGO here....& would benefit from a brutally honest "sharing circle" with his players...by "listening" more...then digesting & processing - what he hears. Just don't hold your breath for that....it'll never happen. We will continue to witness a further erosion & dismantling of the core, as the inevitable result. The Sedins/Kesler/Luongo era is sooooooo DONE.