Official Luongo Hate / Love Thread

[dhabums]

I'm not surprised that people question Luongo's ability to steal games and his ability to take over series in the way Thomas did last year or Roy did in the past...

It's a tad disingenuous to mention those two as if it stealing series' is limited to HHOFers and Vezina winners.

[Fred]

When it comes to salary he was paid $10 million last year but his cap hit is only $5.3 but he's on the books until 2022...that's the tough bit sure he's not getting it all in one year but getting paid for a long time and will impact the team for years unless there's an under the counter buy out ? clause. I can't see teams rushing to pick him up if that was ever thought of...not because of the $5.3 but for the length. I don't know the period for the eight goalies ahead of him ?

[dhabums]

When it comes to salary he was paid $10 million last year but his cap hit is only $5.3 but he's on the books until 2022...that's the tough bit sure he's not getting it all in one year but getting paid for a long time and will impact the team for years unless there's an under the counter buy out ? clause. I can't see teams rushing to pick him up if that was ever thought of...not because of the $5.3 but for the length. I don't know the period for the eight goalies ahead of him ?

I do not think I am alone in believing the duration of the contract is a load of crap to pay RL as much money as possible in the first 7 years or so. He won't be playing it out nor can I imagine his ego will allow him to be a back up. He'll be done and back in FLA as soon as the glitter of starter is gone.

He is certainly movable if the situation arose.

[Rumsfeld]

I'm pretty much burnt out on the whole Luongo debate.

When we aquired him and he played his first season here ('07) I thought he was the best goaltender in the world and should have won the Hart.

The next season when he faltered and collapsed down the stretch I chalked it up to external issues and a bad stretch -- all goalies have a bad stretch, right?

When he got absolutely shelled by the Hawks in '09 I again gave him the benefit of the doubt and was even quite vocal on the pro-Luongo battle-lines in the debate that ensued. Hey, every goalie has a weak playoff, right?

When he got lit up once again by the Hawks in '10 I began to form some doubts in his ability to win in the post-season. I still believed he could get it done if he had a better team in front of him. I also wondered if it was simply a case of the Hawks having his number for whatever reason.

Last year he had that truly elite team in front of him. He was good enough to get us very close but I felt he wasn't good enough. His reflexes, positioning, and mental fortitude seem weaker to me now than they ever have. He makes bizarre decisions on the breakaway, takes ten minutes to slide from one end of the crease to the other, and spends entire shifts on his knees. He also gives up an inordinate number of wrist shot floaters compared to most starting NHL goalies. I have obviously become frustrated and disappointed with his play and no longer believe in him with regards to his ability to win it all.

I realize we are stuck with him and he is what he is, but unlike most other teams, we have another option. A young, talented goaltender in Schneider who I think has shitloads of potential and a better technical goaltending acumen than Luongo. I also don't feel he has the mental breakdowns Luongo seems so prone to. I think we owe it to the fantastic team we have assembled to at least give Schneider a real chance to be THE GUY, because I believe Luongo has pretty much taken us as far as he ever will. I don't feel like we have anything to lose by playing Scneider significantly more, but we might have everything to gain.

Maybe Cory will drop the ball as well... but we'll never know unless he gets to hold it for a while.

[Zedlee]

[

He is certainly movable if the situation arose.

And that situation is IF we win the Cup and he shines.

Then perhaps someone will be willing to pay him $6.7 million per season for the next 7 years (his salary).

Othewise, we're stuck with that contract or another equally ugly deal in exchange.

Hard to imagine this is going to work out well for us.

[Zedlee]

I realize we are stuck with him and he is what he is, but unlike most other teams, we have another option. A young, talented goaltender in Schneider who I think has shitloads of potential and a better technical goaltending acumen than Luongo. I also don't feel he has the mental breakdowns Luongo seems so prone to. I think we owe it to the fantastic team we have assembled to at least give Schneider a real chance to be THE GUY, because I believe Luongo has pretty much taken us as far as he ever will. I don't feel like we have anything to lose by playing Scneider significantly more, but we might have everything to gain.

Maybe Cory will drop the ball as well... but we'll never know unless he gets to hold it for a while.

I agree I'd love to see Schneider get a chance to play more this year. But remember that he is a RFA after this season and he will be due for a serious raise next year. And that could cause us some major cap problems.

[herb]

I pretty much agree with you Rummy.

For now Lalongo is our starting goaltender; he has been one of if not the most consistent goaltenders over the past several years. The problem is, aside from great regular season numbers and some impressive playoff performances, he has also consistently had horrible outtings in the playoffs. It is almost guaranteed at this point. A sane person wouldn't bet against it in the 2012 playoffs. I don't think another player on this team has put together anywhere near as many crap playoff games. He has to be on a shorter leash than previous seasons.

If it turns out that the Ginger can do something #1 can't, then management, Luongo and the Fat Italians need to figure out what to do.

[Rumsfeld]

I realize we are stuck with him and he is what he is, but unlike most other teams, we have another option. A young, talented goaltender in Schneider who I think has shitloads of potential and a better technical goaltending acumen than Luongo. I also don't feel he has the mental breakdowns Luongo seems so prone to. I think we owe it to the fantastic team we have assembled to at least give Schneider a real chance to be THE GUY, because I believe Luongo has pretty much taken us as far as he ever will. I don't feel like we have anything to lose by playing Scneider significantly more, but we might have everything to gain.

Maybe Cory will drop the ball as well... but we'll never know unless he gets to hold it for a while.

I agree I'd love to see Schneider get a chance to play more this year. But remember that he is a RFA after this season and he will be due for a serious raise next year. And that could cause us some major cap problems.

Yes, and this is exactly why we need to find out what we have right now. We have to make a decision to keep him or trade him by the end of the season.

I feel like our window is closing, the Sedins have peaked, and having Schneider available for our final Cup push is worth the risk.

Chances are good that Luongo's regular season game will improve, Schneider will be dealt at the deadline in a trade that we will look back on with deep regret, and Lou will be Lou when the pressure cooker games are here again.

I'm depressing the shit out of myself right now. This must be how dhabums feels all the time.

[Meds]

Luongo needs a fresh start somewhere, maybe in Chicago playing for the Wolves. At this point, especially following games 6 and 7 against Boston, I would put him on Waivers to the AHL and be happy for the compensation if a team like Phoenix claimed him. Just the fact that we'd have his cap space clear would be worth it for next year. (Yeah, I know, it's way to early to be talking next year already).....

Waiving Luongo?

You're actually being serious?

Unfortunately, based on some of his other posts as of late, I would say the answer is yes.



People are losing their freaking minds right now.

We're only 6 games in with Schneider already getting two starts, and Luongo is on the shortest leash (by the fans) he has likely ever been on...I guess that's what getting to game 7 of the SC finals does?

My views on Luongo and my opinions about his desirable longevity in Vancouver are not based just on last year but rather on the last 3 years. Moreover, they are largely based on his salary. If we had Luongo at a cap hit of $3M/year I wouldn't bat an eyelash, if he wasn't going to be a $5.5M cap hit for this team for the next 10 years, I would probably be more lenient. If Luongo had not choked at some point in each of his last 4 playoff appearances, I would cut him some slack.

The fact is, for what we can count on, he is not worth the cap space he eats up, and we have Schneider sitting on the bench and at a point in his career where he is ready to be given a shot at being the number one. Schneider would, in all likelihood, bring us a great return in a trade, but said return is impossible because trading away his $900K would not clear the space needed to accomodate anyone worth parting with him for.

My opinions on Luongo and his salary are also based on his age, he's 32, we can sit around and pay him for the next 10 years and watch as some decent young players head down the road because he is eating up cap space and, to date, has not delivered when it really counts.

I also do not hold him soley responsible for the Stanley Cup Finals last year, in fact I give him kudos for stealing 3 games. I have not made my opinion of Vigneault a secret, and I also recognize that we had several key players skating injured. I also realize that the Boston Goons were given a relatively free hand by the refs. Had the league been consistent, and policed the series the way they did the Boston/Carolina game the other night, I think we would have seen a different result. It's a bit ironic actually, Luongo stole all 3 of the games that we won, but he also played a significant role in losing the other 4.....and therein lies my problem with Luongo, we are paying $10M ($5.5M cap) for an uncertain result.

[Fred]

When it comes to salary he was paid $10 million last year but his cap hit is only $5.3 but he's on the books until 2022...that's the tough bit sure he's not getting it all in one year but getting paid for a long time and will impact the team for years unless there's an under the counter buy out ? clause. I can't see teams rushing to pick him up if that was ever thought of...not because of the $5.3 but for the length. I don't know the period for the eight goalies ahead of him ?

I do not think I am alone in believing the duration of the contract is a load of crap to pay RL as much money as possible in the first 7 years or so. He won't be playing it out nor can I imagine his ego will allow him to be a back up. He'll be done and back in FLA as soon as the glitter of starter is gone.

He is certainly movable if the situation arose.

He's paid good money, $6.7 per year until 2018/19 ( he'll be 40 that year YOB 1979 ) .............. $3.4 mill and then $1.6, $1.0, $1.0

I'm thinking he'll be a passenger long before then ..maybe not Broduer is that age

http://www.capgeek.com/players/display.php?id=683

[ukcanuck]

I'm not surprised that people question Luongo's ability to steal games and his ability to take over series in the way Thomas did last year or Roy did in the past...

It's a tad disingenuous to mention those two as if it stealing series' is limited to HHOFers and Vezina winners.

My mention of HHOFers and Vezina winners was related to the lack of same on the list of Goaltenders to have suited up for the Canucks, it wasn't intended to insinuate anything else. But I do agree with you that not just HHOFers and vezina winners can steal series, Curtis Joseph did that for the Blues (1992-93) when he stoned the Hawks and Leafs before bowing out in game 7. Cujo is neither a HHOFer nor a Vezina winner, perhaps if Luongo had played like that in the final we wouldn't be talking about hating him.

[Potatoe1]

Lots of good rants in this thread..

Ya'll are full of angst.

[sagebrush]

The centre of the universe is talking about us. They wonder how the Canucks should respond to growing public discontent in Vancouver with Roberto Luongo?

[dhabums]

I'm not surprised that people question Luongo's ability to steal games and his ability to take over series in the way Thomas did last year or Roy did in the past...

It's a tad disingenuous to mention those two as if it stealing series' is limited to HHOFers and Vezina winners.

My mention of HHOFers and Vezina winners was related to the lack of same on the list of Goaltenders to have suited up for the Canucks, it wasn't intended to insinuate anything else. But I do agree with you that not just HHOFers and vezina winners can steal series, Curtis Joseph did that for the Blues (1992-93) when he stoned the Hawks and Leafs before bowing out in game 7. Cujo is neither a HHOFer nor a Vezina winner, perhaps if Luongo had played like that in the final we wouldn't be talking about hating him.

I was dared to use the word disingenuous on a hockey board and spell it correctly.

Richard Brodeur stole series' for us. He was likable. He did little else in his career of note. He is still loved. Luongo is an arrogant, dim, highly paid flake that will need to win it all to ever get the accolades he believes he deserves. Otherwise, his career here is a failure. Naslund 2.0ish. Even if he doesn't, he can go live on his pile of cash in Florida.

[Todd Bersnoozi]

Overall, I like Lou, but I do have my doubts if he can win the big playoff games in pressure pack situations. I thot Lou was a god when he first came to Vancity in 07, but that Lou seems long gone and was a mirage. He did have good moments last year where I thot he was back (undefeated for like 2 monthis I think), but in the playoffs too many weak goals left me with serious doubts.

New mask for Lou, hopefully it'll change his luck a bit.

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