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Eddie Lack as our number 1.


kidkurse

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Assuming that Miller stays out, and Eddie Lack brings us into the playoffs. If Eddie were to start, and maybe even carry us into the 2nd round.. Wouldn't he have then proven that he can be our number 1 guy. We could then trade Miller (to the Ducks or SJ), and bolster up other areas of our team/creating cap space.

I can really see this happening. Does that make me crazy?

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If Eddie were to do as you described (or better) then yes, he would have proven himself as a worthy full-time starter. I would be happy to see Miller traded for a warm beer if Eddie led us into the playoffs and beyond the 1st round.

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Need to make the playoffs first. By then, though, I expect Miller to be back and he is still the number 1. Given Lack's continued good performance it means they can rest or pace Miller (i.e. not play every game) and give him the hook at first sign of issues with having full confidence in Lack to replace him.

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He can hold his own in net but he can still use some mentoring like lu gave scnieds. Its not about directly giving advice but just having a professional who has been in the league for a while goes a long way.

Otherwise we'd be like the oilers not letting our prospects develop properly with no veterans to show them the way.

Benning said he wants our young players surrounded with veterans in a winning environment. For this reason I don't see us getting rid of Miller anytime soon and as long as that's the case lack is not our number 1.

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I think this team undervalues what Lack can provide way too much.

Lack is 10-4-1 since Miller went down with an injury, posting numbers SUPERIOR to what Miller has posted this season, and he has been doing it with a decimated line-up.

I honestly don't see the reason to keep Miller around if we can get anything decent for him at the draft. Lack is getting older and he deserves a starting position. People keep saying "oh well he hasn't really played a full-time work load, I doubt he can handle it".

How are you ever going to believe that Lack can handle a full work load until you let him do it? Lack has shown he is an excellent back-up that can not only hold down the fort when needed, but actually push this team to be better. So why not trade Miller for a 1st/2nd round pick at the draft to a team that needs a goaltender and proceed with Lack in the future.

Miller was a stop-gap goalie. Miller was here to keep the Canucks winning until Lack was ready to take over. Lack is the goalie that has the Canucks winning and he has taken over.

Lack is 27 years old. Stop using the song and dance that he needs time to develop and be mentored.

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Honestly, I think it's time to start transitioning Lack into the starter's role.

Look at other 'younger' starters around the NHL:

Just 2 examples:

Bishop: Less tham 50 NHL games played over 5 seasons before given starter's role in Tampa.

Bobrovsky: Played 83 games in Philly before becoming the starter in Columbus.

Lack has had good numbers in the NHL, even during the 'meltdown' last season (where he still managed a .912 sv% and 2.41 GAA)

His body of work is enough that he should be challenging for a #1 spot. If he does well in the playoffs, this will only reinforce the statement.

Lack is one of those guys who's ceiling is too high to be stuck in a backup position. He should be competing for ice with another younger, less-proven goalie (maybe Markstrom)

I like Ryan Miller, but he's the at the point of his career where he expects to play 60 games a season, and that's not enough work to keep developing Eddie. I could see Miller/Lack working going forward in a 41/41 split, or maybe 50/30, but I doubt Miller is going to go for that.

I think Eddie's best hockey is ahead of him, whereas Miller's is behind him. I think the Canucks have to keep that in mind going forward. I know JB is buddies with Miller and respects him, but Miller is nothing more than a stopgap for now, not the future.

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I think this team undervalues what Lack can provide way too much.

Lack is 10-4-1 since Miller went down with an injury, posting numbers SUPERIOR to what Miller has posted this season, and he has been doing it with a decimated line-up.

I honestly don't see the reason to keep Miller around if we can get anything decent for him at the draft. Lack is getting older and he deserves a starting position. People keep saying "oh well he hasn't really played a full-time work load, I doubt he can handle it".

How are you ever going to believe that Lack can handle a full work load until you let him do it? Lack has shown he is an excellent back-up that can not only hold down the fort when needed, but actually push this team to be better. So why not trade Miller for a 1st/2nd round pick at the draft to a team that needs a goaltender and proceed with Lack in the future.

Miller was a stop-gap goalie. Miller was here to keep the Canucks winning until Lack was ready to take over. Lack is the goalie that has the Canucks winning and he has taken over.

Lack is 27 years old. Stop using the song and dance that he needs time to develop and be mentored.

Its not about what I think, its what Benning thinks. And he said he wants our future players to be surrounded among veterans in a winning environment.

He won't just throw lack out there he will ask Willie to gradually increase his games at fair pace. Eventually we will have a split among miller and lack like we did for scnieds and lu.

Also his age his irrelevant at this point, the fact he is still in his second season in the NHL with less than 100 games played in a tougher conference than Bob or bishop is the relevant part.

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It's a question that's worth running up the flag pole OP. Do they still need Miller since Lack is looking so good?

The answer is yes. Why?:

  1. Goalie is the most important position. I'm quoting JB.
  2. If Miller is traded, then Markstrom would be the back up. He looks nervous when he plays and he has not shown that he can win games at the NHL level. If the Canucks want to make the playoffs, should he be gifted 20 starts?
  3. Mentoring (see RK41 above)

I really think that Benning is going to be conservative with the goaltending. Miller will remain #1 and Lack will gradually get increased responsibility. Lack is certainly earning that opportunity right now. By the time Miller's contract is up in 2 years, Lack will be getting the equivalent of 75% of the work.

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Assuming that Miller stays out, and Eddie Lack brings us into the playoffs. If Eddie were to start, and maybe even carry us into the 2nd round.. Wouldn't he have then proven that he can be our number 1 guy. We could then trade Miller (to the Ducks or SJ), and bolster up other areas of our team/creating cap space.

I can really see this happening. Does that make me crazy?

Only time will tell, but Miller is still our 'number 1' in my books, Props to Eddie though for holding down the fort!

Have to agree with the OP. Lack has significantly better numbers this year than Miller (.920 vs. .913) and slightly lower GAA.

Miller had some good games, with 6 shutouts, but despite that this save percentage is well below the league average. That means he has had more than his share of bad games. Overall he ranks 26th out of 44 qualified goalies in save percentage and is in the bottom quarter of the #1 goalies.

I am not saying Miller has been a bad goalie. But he has not been good enough for a $6 million cap hit. When I think of all the games where Lack has been a star and has either stolen a game or kept the Canucks in a game when they could have been blown out early, I think there is a good chance the Canucks would not be a in a playoff position now if Miller was still the #1 goalie.

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It's a question that's worth running up the flag pole OP. Do they still need Miller since Lack is looking so good?

The answer is yes. Why?:

  1. Goalie is the most important position. I'm quoting JB.
  2. If Miller is traded, then Markstrom would be the back up. He looks nervous when he plays and he has not shown that he can win games at the NHL level. If the Canucks want to make the playoffs, should he be gifted 20 starts?
  3. Mentoring (see RK41 above)

I really think that Benning is going to be conservative with the goaltending. Miller will remain #1 and Lack will gradually get increased responsibility. Lack is certainly earning that opportunity right now. By the time Miller's contract is up in 2 years, Lack will be getting the equivalent of 75% of the work.

Lack will gradually get increased responsibiltiy? Eddie's 27. At this rate Eddie will have the #1 job when he's 30.

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