Not to nitpick as I agree with general sentiment but Luongo signed the deal in 2009, after getting lit up ONCE by the Blackhawks.Mondi wrote:Luongo was re-signed after getting lit up in back-to-back year by the Hawks.
IMO, he was never the same as a goalie in big games after '09 versus the Hawks. Yet, Gillis gave a player coming off two bad playoffs and in his 30s a 12-year-deal.
I agree though that he was never the same goalie after Game 6 against the 'Hawks. It was not only player but franchise defining (Farhan's beloved 'mental fragility').
For me that was the turning point in Luongo's career when he went from being the next Roy/Brodeur to the next Cujo.
And what's insane about the whole thing is that it really came down to that one game. Luongo was actually fine the rest of the series. Yes he gave up 6 goals in game 2 of the series but he bounced back with tremendous performances in game 3 and 4 in Chicago. If you look back at that series, the Canucks were reverting to a defensive shell, relying on their superstar goalie to shut down the high octane Chicago offense. And he nearly put them up 3-1.
But game 6.... that was one of the most memorable games in Canucks history. It was the one game where the Canucks truly deserved to win and Luongo completely imploded. I couldn't believe my eyes, as I felt like Cloutier had been reincarnated in the form of our superstar goalie.
Luongo was spectacular in 2007 playoffs, completely blanked the Blues in the first round of the 2009 playoffs, and then the Blackhawks....
From that point forward, there 'bouts of inconsistency, unheralded shakiness.... the unflappable confidence/arrogance of being the best goalie of his generation was gone. I wonder what would have happened to this team, to Luongo if we didn't collide with the 'Hawks in '09.
So yes in short, the timing of the 12 year signing was a little suspect though not as suspect as it would have been in '10.