Luongo Not the Answer for Vancouver

[GMRwings1983 8,794]

Roberto Luongo was brought in to take Vancouver from perennial 1st and 2nd round exits to the next level as a franchise.

So far, they haven't looked any better in the playoffs in his 4 seasons, then they have before with Dan "freaking" Cloutier. They'll most likely lose to Chicago, and have another early playoff exit. He's had too many awful games in these playoffs already and seems to have little confidence in his game.

I know hockey is a team sport and the others guys haven't stepped it up either for them, but for all the praise this guy gets, I'm starting to agree with people who have been saying for years that he's overrated and isn't a good playoff goalie.

Maybe they'll win the series and he'll make me eat my words, but right now he looks like the most overrated player in the league, with lesser known goalies playing much better in these playoffs.

[ShanahanMan 473]

Agreed.....that 12 year contract isn't looking so good right now

[GMRwings1983 8,794]

Agreed.....that 12 year contract isn't looking so good right now

Well, the contract is the norm for what's happening right now with superstar players unfortunately. Everyone gets these long contracts now.

When he got it, it looked like a good move, but he hasn't earned it a bit because the playoffs is what they brought him in for. They were already making the playoffs every year without him.

[hooon 1,089]

Other than maybe some leadership things, I don't think the current series hole is really Luongo's fault. The Cannucks looked GREAT in game 1 and they looked great for the first 50 minutes of game 2. Chicago was the team that looked clueless and awful. Chicago tightened up but, I really have no idea what happened to Vancouver. They seem to have no idea what to do defensively, and are getting beaten to every puck. I wish they would just go back to that Game 1 attitude.

I agree in general though, over the years Luongo always seems worn out by playoff time. They're stuck with him though.

[GMRwings1983 8,794]

Other than maybe some leadership things, I don't think the current series hole is really Luongo's fault. The Cannucks looked GREAT in game 1 and they looked great for the first 50 minutes of game 2. Chicago was the team that looked clueless and awful. Chicago tightened up but, I really have no idea what happened to Vancouver. They seem to have no idea what to do defensively, and are getting beaten to every puck. I wish they would just go back to that Game 1 attitude.

I agree in general though, over the years Luongo always seems worn out by playoff time. They're stuck with him though.

Their defense is playing no worse than Montreal's defense.

If he's so great, he should be able to outplay Niemi and handle a barrage of shots by Chicago.

But goals like that final goal Kopecky scored can't be blamed on the defense. He just can't hold on to a puck right now.

[VM1138 1,921]

The trouble with Luongo is the same problem many goalie-based teams have. They put too much pressure on a single guy, and usually sign a bad contract that hurts them from actually improving the team too much.

Luongo might do better on a team like Detroit or Chicago where the team is more balanced and he can blend in.

In Vancouver, it's basically the Luongo show, he's the captain, got an obscenely long contract (anything above 3 years for a goalie is ridiculous in my book), and he caves. But look at the Olympics, when he had a solid team in front of him and wasn't the star it worked fine.

EDIT: Hey, if Vancouver could go from playing well to collapsing, maybe it could happen to San Jose for....oh, I don't know, 3 more games maybe?

Edited May 8, 2010 by VM1138

[clutchngrab 12]

Agreed.....that 12 year contract isn't looking so good right now

Never understood the trend towards signing goalies to LTCs.

[T.Low 1,011]

He had one great playoff series; his first series ever against Dallas. His first game he had aobut 50 saves. He played a great game.

Since then...

Vancouver's Team 1040 said Luongo was voted most overrated player in the NHL by NHL players.

I'm not a Luongo fan, and think it was a mistake to make him captin on a number of levels.

The difference between a high dollar puck moving Dman and a lesser Dman is greater than the difference between a socalled Elite goalie (high dollar) and a lesser goalie. Red Wings compared to Canucks are a great example of that theory.

[russianswede919293 95]

Their defense is playing no worse than Montreal's defense.

If he's so great, he should be able to outplay Niemi and handle a barrage of shots by Chicago.

But goals like that final goal Kopecky scored can't be blamed on the defense. He just can't hold on to a puck right now.

Don't underestimate the power of Hall Gill - The shots on Halak are not from good shooting angles...

That said Luongo is no elite goaltender in my book.

[AIK'91 22]

In '06 (after the loss to Edmonton), weren't we close to sending Luongo an offer sheet while he was a RFA in Florida?

The trade to Vancouver and eventual signing nixed that plan though. And I'd say things for us worked out for the better.

[RedWingsRox 614]

Wow, I couldn't believe this until I looked it up. 5 out of the 8 goalies are less than a mill per season:

Howie - $750K

Niemi - $825K (but they got $5.5 mill in their backup )

Rask - $750K (another $6 mill goalie as backup )

Boucher - $925K

Halak - $800K

Luongo - $7.5 mill

Nabokov -$6 mill

Fleury - $3.5 mill

[13dangledangle 958]

Luongo is a great goalie but wayyyyyy ******* overrated! I would take 10 goalies over him!

Halak, Rinne, Rask, Flower, Hiller, Mason(pick one), Ward, Backstrom, oh ya and HOWARD! LETS GO RED WINGS!!!!! (ok and maybe not chris mason so only 9)

[titanium2 867]

As far as goaltending goes, is there now a trend to invest more into team defense with good goaltending instead of "great"? That kind of sucks for goalies who really want to make the big bucks and win at the same time.

[egroen 384]

It's been a while since a big name goalie has really put on a show during the playoffs.

We were lucky to see Hasek and Roy when they were at their best -- they don't come around too often.

[Vladifan 680]

It's been a while since a big name goalie has really put on a show during the playoffs.

We were lucky to see Hasek and Roy when they were at their best -- they don't come around too often.

We were lucky to see Roy when he was at his worst, too. Muueeeehaaahaaa.

Sick, I know - but I couldn't resist.

[FunkedUp 29]

Yes, Luongo is one of the most over rated hockey players in the entire NHL. I've been saying this for a while now, and I have no idea how he manages to negate this stereotype. I wish that Canada didn't win gold so that I could say that Luongo hasn't won anything. Although, he wasn't, at all, for any reason, a part of Canada's Olympic success. That would be Drew Doughty.

[Guest mindfly]

Hmm I wonder why Luongo was clean shaved today...is he trying to "restart" everything again? lol

[Z Winged Dangler 2,082]

Roberto Luongo was brought in to take Vancouver from perennial 1st and 2nd round exits to the next level as a franchise.

So far, they haven't looked any better in the playoffs in his 4 seasons, then they have before with Dan "freaking" Cloutier. They'll most likely lose to Chicago, and have another early playoff exit. He's had too many awful games in these playoffs already and seems to have little confidence in his game.

I know hockey is a team sport and the others guys haven't stepped it up either for them, but for all the praise this guy gets, I'm starting to agree with people who have been saying for years that he's overrated and isn't a good playoff goalie.

Maybe they'll win the series and he'll make me eat my words, but right now he looks like the most overrated player in the league, with lesser known goalies playing much better in these playoffs.

all of us know here on LGW that the most overrated player in the league is mike green luongo is up there though.

luongo steals games here and there...but as you said, he's had alot of bad games in the playoffs. they should just trade him already for another scorer and bring up cory schneider. the canucks have jordan schroeder coming up soonish to put the puck in the net and shirokov isn't bad. it's hard to believe that with luongo the canucks can't win.

after they lose to chicago we'll probably hear the "he was injured" excuse.

[dragonballgtz 273]

Wow, I couldn't believe this until I looked it up. 5 out of the 8 goalies are less than a mill per season:

Howie - $750K

Niemi - $825K (but they got $5.5 mill in their backup )

Rask - $750K (another $6 mill goalie as backup )

Boucher - $925K

Halak - $800K

Luongo - $7.5 mill

Nabokov -$6 mill

Fleury - $3.5 mill

Most are playing like it this playoff season IMO. I have not really seen a true goalie dual game this post season. That might be just the way its going now a days with more offense post lockout then defense. But most goalies this playoff year have looked shaky to me

Edited May 9, 2010 by dragonballgtz

[MacK_Attack 108]

I think the issue is that Luongo is simply burned out from playing so much hockey this year. 78 games now plus the Olympics this season.

Look at the teams left in the playoffs. Most of them had a solid tandem and are now riding the hot hand. The teams that have one guy and run hard with that guy are out.

Especially in an Olympic year, teams need two solid goaltenders.

[Doggy 130]

Vancouver's a young team. They have plenty of time to win the Cup. This isn't their last chance. Seems like people are talking like it is.

[eva unit zero 271]

Vancouver's a young team. They have plenty of time to win the Cup. This isn't their last chance. Seems like people are talking like it is.

The problem with Vancouver is that they have built their team like this:

Excellent top line.

Solid second line.

Mediocre checking line.

Mediocre fourth line.

Good top pair.

Decent second pair.

Mediocre third pair.

Very good regular season goalie who they hope can carry them in the playoffs.

Most championship teams are built like this:

Strong top line

Strong second line.

Good checking line

Solid fourth line.

Very good top pairing.

Strong second pairing.

Decent third pair.

Good regular season goalie capable of carrying the team in the playoffs.

Look at the two builds. Which builds provide very good regular seasons and playoff failure, and which provide good regular seasons and deep playoff runs?

I think you all know the answer.

[Nhurdi 42]

I agree he is over rated.

I think they are really missing Mitchel at the moment. With that said the whole mental game is getting the best of the whole team as well.

[Guest mjtm77]

Yea would no say he is the most overrated in the nhl tho

[Firehawk 305]

Wow, I couldn't believe this until I looked it up. 5 out of the 8 goalies are less than a mill per season:

Howie - $750K

Niemi - $825K (but they got $5.5 mill in their backup )

Rask - $750K (another $6 mill goalie as backup )

Boucher - $925K

Halak - $800K

Luongo - $7.5 mill

Nabokov -$6 mill

Fleury - $3.5 mill

Nabokov and Luongo are WAYYYYYY overpaid, neither are any more than average in my opinion. Both SJ and Vancouver have had success to this point despite their goalies. And now look at Vancouver. They can't stay in a game because of Luongo. Nabokov gave up just as many goals as Howard did in this series, unfortunately we couldn't get that one more per game. But as long as SJ has Nab, they won't win the cup. He's not a cup winning goalie. At some point they're going to need him for more than a period or two at a time. And i hvae a feeling, in round 3 against Chicago, we'll see what I'm talking about.