Luongo as the Panthers' undisputed '18-'19 starter

[5 Hole]

Goaltending wasn't the issue this year, IMO. We ended up 1 friggin point out of the show.. We needed more shots actually directed at the goal and some tighter D. I'd be very comfortable going in to the 1st round with our tandem this week.

 

[CHGoalie27]

Goaltending wasn't the issue this year, IMO. We ended up 1 friggin point out of the show. We needed more shots actually directed at the goal and some tighter D. I'd be very comfortable going in to the 1st round with our tandem this week.

Not only was goaltending not the issue, it was by far the best part of the team down to our hotter than hell 3rd string and I can say with ease that I love all 3, no-4!! of our goaltenders more than any goaltender group I've ever seen!

That said Roberto Luongo once again wins the "I GOT F***ED OVER FOR THE VEZINA AGAIN" award.

 

[GermanPanther]

Who are you going to go get, right now, to replace him?
The time for after Lu is indeed coming, but tell me what they do to improve over him this summer instead of simply repeating your list of his flaws. I'm all for the team becoming even better. As I stated previously, I expect them to start exploring a trade for the goalie who can sooner or later replace Lu. But as of right now, Lu's still the man.

Kinkaid current Devils have 3 Goalies, Kinkaid who is really good, schneider and Lack. Kinkaid is only 28.
Grubauer 25 RFA and then they must decide, could a starter mroe Years to come.

Those two Goalies you can plan for the future and the only two. In 1 or 2 Years there will be 6-10 Teams searching for a new starting Goalie, then the most Goailies over 35 or up to. Sure a Goalie as usual has more Time. But i dont want end up in a betting Situation with 10 other Teams, there should be a Franchise have the longer look and reach.

And then the next Generation will step up, you could be on top of it or only been late.

 

[GermanPanther]

Goaltending wasn't the issue this year, IMO. We ended up 1 friggin point out of the show.. We needed more shots actually directed at the goal and some tighter D. I'd be very comfortable going in to the 1st round with our tandem this week.

you say 7-3 CBJ, 4-0 LA, 7-3 COL, 5-2 VGK, 5-1 MIN, 6-1 DAL, 7-5 FLA, 6-3 CLG, 7-2 WPG, 6-5 FLA, 5-3 OTT, 4-0 CBJ, 5-1 BOS All those results not includes Goaltending then i might guess, we played all the time with 6 Player on the Ice. I think so when you are right.

 

[batting1k]

As a life long Panthers fan, I like Lu just as much as the next guy and think he had a great year this year despite what he went through injury-wise. (Ok, maybe I don't like him as much as MIAtoBKLYN )

But to assume that he'll be able to 50+ games next season at 39 years old is wrong. We just can't go into the season hoping he stays healthy all year long. I would've liked someone like Raanta, but unfortunately he resigned with AZ. Maybe someone like Grubauer, but now he's starting game 1, so maybe they'll want to keep him. Hutchinson? Sparks? I'd like a young guy who has the ability to play a lot of games.

 

[GrumpyKelly]

Luongo played 33 games this year as a 38 year old.

If we get 40 out of him as a 39 year old I'll be happy. Reims should be able to handle the rest.

After that it's time to look for another goalie.

 

[ucanthanzalthetruth]

As a life long Panthers fan, I like Lu just as much as the next guy and think he had a great year this year despite what he went through injury-wise. (Ok, maybe I don't like him as much as MIAtoBKLYN )

But to assume that he'll be able to 50+ games next season at 39 years old is wrong. We just can't go into the season hoping he stays healthy all year long. I would've liked someone like Raanta, but unfortunately he resigned with AZ. Maybe someone like Grubauer, but now he's starting game 1, so maybe they'll want to keep him. Hutchinson? Sparks? I'd like a young guy who has the ability to play a lot of games.

And how do you get rid of James Reimer?

 

[16Skippy]

And how do you get rid of James Reimer?

Hope Seattle wants him lol

 

[ShootIt]

And how do you get rid of James Reimer?

Trade him to Carolina lol.

I would like to take a risk on Grubauer.

 

[batting1k]

And how do you get rid of James Reimer?

Just like with Smith, someone will take him if you try. May have to eat some money if they really want to get it done, but I think he’d be good on someone like Pitt where he can just go about his business quietly.

Hardly any player is untradeable in terms of teams not wanting them

 

[CHGoalie27]

Kinkaid current Devils have 3 Goalies, Kinkaid who is really good, schneider and Lack. Kinkaid is only 28.
Grubauer 25 RFA and then they must decide, could a starter mroe Years to come.

Those two Goalies you can plan for the future and the only two. In 1 or 2 Years there will be 6-10 Teams searching for a new starting Goalie, then the most Goailies over 35 or up to. Sure a Goalie as usual has more Time. But i dont want end up in a betting Situation with 10 other Teams, there should be a Franchise have the longer look and reach.

And then the next Generation will step up, you could be on top of it or only been late.

I wouldn't take a single devils goalie over any of our current 4 goalies.

 

[CHGoalie27]

Trade him to Carolina lol.

I would like to take a risk on Grubauer.

I'd rather Reimer than Grubauer too.

 

[CHGoalie27]

Luongo played 33 games this year as a 38 year old.

If we get 40 out of him as a 39 year old I'll be happy. Reims should be able to handle the rest.

After that it's time to look for another goalie.

MONTEMBEAULT.

 

[BlueBrunswick]

just jumping into the conversations, but the best thing for the team is for him to keep playing - if he did retire, Florida would be hit with a 1.4 million cap recapture penalty. That's not a huge problem for the Panthers, but the longer he plays, the less it becomes. He is going to stick around next year for sure because he'll be making 6.7 million next year... that drops to 3 million the year after that... then things start to get interesting, in terms of salary, over the last three years of his deal he'll take home only about 1 million a season. Every year he plays closer to end of his deal, Florida's cap penalty and the actual salary they have to pay him goes down dramatically - the cap penalty goes up for Vancouver . If he retires within one year of the end of his contract Florida would have no penalty and Vancouver would be hit with an 8.5 million cap penalty. How much would Vancouver be willing to pay for him to stick around one more year if they are faced with a 8.5 million penalty.

EDIT - correction - next year he is down to 3 million... 1.5, 1 and 1 in the following years.

 

[Asheville]

Luongo will start 50+ games.

Reimer will be dealt.

Sateri will become Lu's backup.

Montembeault will get the overwhelming bulk of the starts for Springfield.

We'll draft a goalie in the first 100 picks.

 

[batting1k]

Luongo will start 50+ games.

Reimer will be dealt.

Sateri will become Lu's backup.

Montembeault will get the overwhelming bulk of the starts for Springfield.

We'll draft a goalie in the first 100 picks.

lol

Did Luongo secure your family financially or something?

 

[Asheville]

lol

Did Luongo secure your family financially or something?

Try suppressing your urge to be an ass.

 

[batting1k]

Try suppressing your urge to be an ass.

My point is could he maybe play 50+ games? MAYBE.

But should he be assumed / relied up to play 50+ games. No, and that's the whole thing. We cannot go into the season relying on a 39 year old goalie to play in 50+ games and then expect him to be fresh for a playoff run. It's just not a good idea. I'd feel much better getting another young goalie who can play a lot of games reliably and split the time and then have Luongo more fresh for the playoffs.

He only played 35 games this year, albeit a lot down the stretch, and said yesterday he needed time to recover. He also said after the home game vs. Boston "I was feeling a little bit sluggish today for some reason"...

The signs are all there...then you add in the injuries. As much as I'd love for him to play 50+ games, and again, maybe he can do it, I don't think it's the right thing to do to ASSUME that he will play 50+ games at this age.

 

[Little Bobby Boo]

We should have drafted Demko.

I will never let that pick go.

 

[Asheville]

......

He doesn't rely on his athleticism as he did earlier in his career. Lu plays a more positional/percentage style, and that's conducive to lengthening his career. He had as many groin injuries this season as the much younger Reimer and, humorously, it is Lu entering the offseason as the healthier of the two. Based on Corey Crawford, MA Fleury and Michal Neuvirth this past season, NO goalie should be assumed to have any particular number of starts in them. But goalies with a history of being starters CAN be assumed capable of 50+ starts until we see the wheels come off consistently. Lu has been screwed of starts here and there since Reimer's arrival because James has to be forced into the crease to justify that absurd salary.

 

[RogerRoger]

Based on Corey Crawford, MA Fleury and Michal Neuvirth this past season, NO goalie should be assumed to have any particular number of starts in them. But goalies with a history of being starters CAN be assumed capable of 50+ starts until we see the wheels come off consistently.

Two seasons in a row of 40 or less games is not enough for you? He is 39 and admitted to be tired. He was injured this season. Was injured last season and had surgery. That's the type of consistency we can expect at this age.

 

[pantherbot]

My point is could he maybe play 50+ games? MAYBE.

But should he be assumed / relied up to play 50+ games. No, and that's the whole thing. We cannot go into the season relying on a 39 year old goalie to play in 50+ games and then expect him to be fresh for a playoff run. It's just not a good idea. I'd feel much better getting another young goalie who can play a lot of games reliably and split the time and then have Luongo more fresh for the playoffs.

He only played 35 games this year, albeit a lot down the stretch, and said yesterday he needed time to recover. He also said after the home game vs. Boston "I was feeling a little bit sluggish today for some reason"...

The signs are all there...then you add in the injuries. As much as I'd love for him to play 50+ games, and again, maybe he can do it, I don't think it's the right thing to do to ASSUME that he will play 50+ games at this age.

I think we'd all be happy if the Panthers could get a good young goalie, but I really don't know where or how we would get one. Sateri looked good but i wouldn't be comfortable with him as the primary backup. For the time being we will likely have to rely on lou and reimer, and hope management figures this out longer term

 

[Gentle Man]

For comparison, Brodeur at 39 pulled in 59 games and posted a .908 sv%. The difference? He didn't have his serious injuries at his old ages as Lu has. Hip and groin that led to significant time missed? That's the definition of a body breaking down man.

We will be lucky to get 40 from him.

 

[GrumpyKelly]

Is there any hope that Reims will figure out his inconsistency issues? Are there any goalies that have figured it out in their thirties?

I guess Anderson is one. Can't think of others.

Still don't understand what they were thinking giving Reims that contract.

 

[Asheville]

Two seasons in a row of 40 or less games is not enough for you? He is 39 and admitted to be tired. He was injured this season. Was injured last season and had surgery. That's the type of consistency we can expect at this age.

That surgery repaired his hip. He came back from this season's groin tweak better than he did prior to that injury. You're all waiting for the tires to fall off, yet here we are with a 0.929 sv% goalie who expects to play 50+ next year. The moment he thinks he can't do it anymore, he'll walk away. Too great a player to schlep around at 20 games a season.

As for grooming a longterm replacement, your options are:

1) Stick with Montembeault.

2) Draft another goalie, which I believe they will do.

3) Trade for one of Grubauer, Kinkaid or Saros, and since thier stock is high, we'd pay through the nose and Tallon doesn't do that when he swaps

4) Extend Sateri. He's as good as any goalie you'll find in the AHL, and only DeSmith joins him among the elite minor netminders to perform well over an extended stretch in the NHL. Who knows? Sateri could very well that NEXT goalie.