Confirmed with Link: Canucks to induct Roberto Luongo into the Ring of Honour

[Timmer44]

Haven't seen this brought up, but Woodley mentioned on H&B this AM that Luongo actually approached the Canucks to trade for his rights to put him on LTIR to avoid the cap recapture, and it was the Canucks who didn't want to do it.

So, either BenningBrod didn't understand the benefits to doing this, or there was directive from above not to do it. I don't know the financials, other than he was owed 3.6mill, but I assume the Canucks would be partially on the hook for paying out Luongo's salary, and that may have been the reason why FA didn't want to do it.

It's a little telling that the team didn't want to spend money to essentially "buy" cap space.

 

[Shareefruck]

I dunno. He did carry the team on his back that first season with us and did get two shutouts in the Cup Finals series. If he didn't crap the bed in the other games that series (granted he had my minimal goal support), he'd be viewed as more of a legend than Linden imho.

I'm not saying he was anything short of outstanding, but even compared to just his best years in Vancouver, I feel like he looked more inhuman in Florida in general.

Just pointing that out, since so many mentioned his best years being in Vancouver.

 

[tantalum]

I'm not saying he was anything short of outstanding, but even compared to just his best years in Vancouver, I feel like he looked more inhuman in Florida in general.

Just pointing that out, since so many mentioned his best years being in Vancouver.

Let's be honest, he was pretty damn consistent since he first came into the NHL.

Ignoring his initial two dozen games with the islanders:

Team	GAA	SV%
Panthers Stint 1	2.68	0.920
Canucks	2.36	0.919
Panthers Stint 2	2.55	0.918

Essentially the guy save 92% of his shots for every team he played on. Sure some ups and down. He had one year at 0.907 with vancouver in only 20 games. His final year as retirement became an obvious reality he had a 0.899. All those other years it was 0.913-0.931. Quite honestly stupidly consistent overall.

Undoubtedly one of the best to ever play the game and it's great to see him honored as such.

 

[Shareefruck]

Let's be honest, he was pretty damn consistent since he first came into the NHL.

Ignoring his initial two dozen games with the islanders:

Team	GAA	SV%
Panthers Stint 1	2.68	0.920
Canucks	2.36	0.919
Panthers Stint 2	2.55	0.918

Essentially the guy save 92% of his shots for every team he played on. Sure some ups and down. He had one year at 0.907 with vancouver in only 20 games. His final year as retirement became an obvious reality he had a 0.899. All those other years it was 0.913-0.931. Quite honestly stupidly consistent overall.

Undoubtedly one of the best to ever play the game and it's great to see him honored as such.

I recall the Panther's defensive game in stint 1 being far worse than anything he had with the Canucks, though. The guy just stood on his head while hung out to dry and single-handedly carried most nights for them.

He was flat out Hasek-like in that 0.931 year.

 

[VanJack]

Just about everybody from the media guys to the waterboy seems to concur that instead of 'Ring of Honor', Luongo should have seen his jersey elevated to rafters beside Bure, Smyl and the Sedins.

It's hilarious really.....even when this team wants to honor one of its' franchise icons, they still get it wrong.

 

[Zippgunn]

I'm struggling to think of anyone actually disparaging WD's character, or doubting that he was a decent person. He was just woefully inadequate in his role as head coach. He did a bad job at his job, and shouldn't have remained in the role for as long as he did.

Similarly with Gagner. People were just mad because Benning did a Benning thing and signed the wrong guy to the wrong contract. I don't think anyone is mad at Gagner for managing to not burst out laughing long enough to sign the deal.

It's like Sbisa: Guy was awful - and his subsequent contract was cartoonishly stupid - but he tried hard and seemed to be a good guy and teammate. Doesn't mean I'm wrong to think that he played bad and shouldn't have been there.

I'd really like you to do a podcast or something. I'd love to learn more about your general worldview. I find the glimpses I've had to be truly fascinating.

Seriously; there was an entire legion of posters here calling WD "twitchy" the whole time he was here which is classic playground bully mentality given that the reason for his problem was medical. If you view his career as a whole he has distinguished himself as a hockey coach in literally almost every role... except the NHL. Joining the Canucks is the surest way to destroy your career as we all know but his achievements in the game are admirable. He was wrong for this team for sure but I still think he was a whole lot better than Green (who lasted twice as long with worse results). And as for Gagner, Sbisa et al it seems to me that a whole lot of people here based their hatred (and it really is hatred sometimes) on the players' salaries which is idiotic. I remember Gags as being a useful bottom sixer who even got into the occasional (ill advised) fight. Made no difference here, posters still jeered him for it. I suspect that most of these unhappy people are simply jealous of what they see as lazy bums who are stealing the money of the fans, which, while not entirely untrue, is like being mad at, say, Billie Eilish for basically doing the same thing. I only watch the players play; contracts are not anything anybody can do anything about.

P.S. I actually do have a YT channel but it is mostly music and reviews...

 

[Zippgunn]

Just about everybody from the media guys to the waterboy seems to concur that instead of 'Ring of Honor', Luongo should have seen his jersey elevated to rafters beside Bure, Smyl and the Sedins.

It's hilarious really.....even when this team wants to honor one of its' franchise icons, they still get it wrong.

I think the big problem here is that our "franchise icon" is also a franchise icon (and much more so as far as service length goes) on another, much younger, team and that what's more his family stayed there for most of while he did his time in Van. If he would have won a Cup here things might be different but he didn't and was a major component of our failure to do so...

 

[Hit the post]

I'm not saying he was anything short of outstanding, but even compared to just his best years in Vancouver, I feel like he looked more inhuman in Florida in general.

Just pointing that out, since so many mentioned his best years being in Vancouver.

Maybe because it wasn't that much since the Dan Cloutier days when one NEVER felt comfortable even if we had a multiple goal lead, but in those early Luongo days, I never doubted the Canucks would win a game if they had just a one goal lead. But that's just my take on the matter (I'm stating an opinion not a fact ).

 

[BrentSopelsHair]

Seriously; there was an entire legion of posters here calling WD "twitchy" the whole time he was here which is classic playground bully mentality given that the reason for his problem was medical. If you view his career as a whole he has distinguished himself as a hockey coach in literally almost every role... except the NHL. Joining the Canucks is the surest way to destroy your career as we all know but his achievements in the game are admirable. He was wrong for this team for sure but I still think he was a whole lot better than Green (who lasted twice as long with worse results). And as for Gagner, Sbisa et al it seems to me that a whole lot of people here based their hatred (and it really is hatred sometimes) on the players' salaries which is idiotic. I remember Gags as being a useful bottom sixer who even got into the occasional (ill advised) fight. Made no difference here, posters still jeered him for it. I suspect that most of these unhappy people are simply jealous of what they see as lazy bums who are stealing the money of the fans, which, while not entirely untrue, is like being mad at, say, Billie Eilish for basically doing the same thing. I only watch the players play; contracts are not anything anybody can do anything about.

P.S. I actually do have a YT channel but it is mostly music and reviews...

So much of what you're saying here is just a hyperbolic bad faith interpretation of the things that people were saying about various mediocre people who have drifted through the Canucks in the last decade. Criticizing the performance of players & coaches is something that every fan does, so I can't imagine why you assume that this must be driven by some personal vendetta against the person involved.

That YT channel must be an interesting watch, I feel like it would change my brain to the same extent as opening the top of a nuclear reactor

 

[Zippgunn]

So much of what you're saying here is just a hyperbolic bad faith interpretation of the things that people were saying about various mediocre people who have drifted through the Canucks in the last decade. Criticizing the performance of players & coaches is something that every fan does, so I can't imagine why you assume that this must be driven by some personal vendetta against the person involved.

That YT channel must be an interesting watch, I feel like it would change my brain to the same extent as opening the top of a nuclear reactor

The only hockey reference on it is my wearing my extensive weird jersey and hat collection in rotation. Otherwise it's music...

 

[AwesomeInTheory]

Seriously; there was an entire legion of posters here calling WD "twitchy" the whole time he was here which is classic playground bully mentality given that the reason for his problem was medical.

I've legit never seen/heard this.

The shit I heard aimed at Willie involved his manner of speech ("real good") and his asinine coaching decisions and being the world's biggest Feist fan (1, 2, 3, 4...)

 

[racerjoe]

I've legit never seen/heard this.

The shit I heard aimed at Willie involved his manner of speech ("real good") and his asinine coaching decisions and being the world's biggest Feist fan (1, 2, 3, 4...)

This just deserves a bravo sir, bravo.

 

[LuckyDay]

Reminder his number is already retired.

Naslund saved this franchise after a messy collapse of the post 94 team and the miserable rebuild we went through with Messier and Keenan. He was a leader on the ice and in the dressing room. No Naslund, Bert wouldn't have turned his game around. Everyone knew who was Captain. He won the Pearson as voted on by his fellow players and would have won the Art Ross if he was not deliberately injured. Macke's only fault is his soft spoken, inward Swedish personality didn't gel with Canadian fans sometimes. I watched him score 4 goals in San Jose live - the crowd was not happy and after I screamed "Penalty" at the end of the game where he got cross checked I was told to shut up by the guy who got beer dumped on his head. (I gotto explain "It's an Orca" to the two unsober young men who left at 2nd intermission). I remember Oilers fans actually complaining about him running up the score.

I'm pretty sure it was the Owners who hung 19 up there. We had records for continuous sold out seats after Messier, McLean, Lumme, and Bure were gone thanks to him. AFAIK it was our first line with a nickname that got national recognition.

Anyone who doesn't believe Smyl's number should be hanging from the rafters does not know what it means to be a real Canucks fan.

 

[PuckMunchkin]

I'm not saying he was anything short of outstanding, but even compared to just his best years in Vancouver, I feel like he looked more inhuman in Florida in general.

Just pointing that out, since so many mentioned his best years being in Vancouver.

He is a top 10 maybe top 5 goalie of all time.

But yeah. He doesnt have shiny objects from voters etc.

 

[Nucker101]

View attachment 616221

Reminder his number is already retired.

Naslund saved this franchise after a messy collapse of the post 94 team and the miserable rebuild we went through with Messier and Keenan. He was a leader on the ice and in the dressing room. No Naslund, Bert wouldn't have turned his game around. Everyone knew who was Captain. He won the Pearson as voted on by his fellow players and would have won the Art Ross if he was not deliberately injured. Macke's only fault is his soft spoken, inward Swedish personality didn't gel with Canadian fans sometimes. I watched him score 4 goals in San Jose live - the crowd was not happy and after I screamed "Penalty" at the end of the game where he got cross checked I was told to shut up by the guy who got beer dumped on his head. (I gotto explain "It's an Orca" to the two unsober young men who left at 2nd intermission). I remember Oilers fans actually complaining about him running up the score.

I'm pretty sure it was the Owners who hung 19 up there. We had records for continuous sold out seats after Messier, McLean, Lumme, and Bure were gone thanks to him. AFAIK it was our first line with a nickname that got national recognition.

Anyone who doesn't believe Smyl's number should be hanging from the rafters does not know what it means to be a real Canucks fan.

Once you start bringing up these type of stories/legacies(as great as they are), you end up retiring a player like Chris Neil's jersey at some point.

Ring of honour is perfect for fan favourites, jersey retirements should be for the truly elite caliber players.

 

[vadim sharifijanov]

edit: wrong thread

 

[LuckyDay]

Once you start bringing up these type of stories/legacies(as great as they are), you end up retiring a player like Chris Neil's jersey at some point.

Ring of honour is perfect for fan favourites, jersey retirements should be for the truly elite caliber players.

Smyl wasn't a "fan favourite" , he was the Canucks. Ring of Honour for guys like McLhargy, and Kurtenbach. No Canucks fan who watched him played ever argued that Smyl didn't belong up there.
If it was all about numbers than Steve Shutt's number would be hanging in Montreal. Its the importance to the team that matters. Remember too, he lead us to the Finals. There's a reason he is our longest serving captain ever. He lead the team in scoring and games with 8 consecutive 20 goal scoring seasons, records which he held for over 10 years after his retirement. Nearing the end of his career he would not entertain a trade to a team in his final seasons just to make the playoffs
In our darkest hours last year it was him that told the players that that logo means something.

Anyway, that's my rant.
Perhaps what should happen is not retire any number and only have a ring of honor.

This is where I bring up once again that Tiger William's #22 was almost retired at the behest of Pat Quinn.

---
On the Old Tony Gallagher radio show (Tony couldn't make it that night and someone else sat in for him) his weekly guest Tiger Williams was on and related that Pat Quinn wanted to retire his number #22 but they ran into a problem: Bob Manno. "Scummy" (as Manno was affectionately known) wouldn't do it. So Pat offered him $1000 Tiger said. He still wouldn't do it. A lot of players have since worn #22 in honor of Dave as the "goon" number, including the celebrity All Star team that night in LA.

 

[Javaman]

The Ring was made in the fires of Mount Doom. Only there can it be unmade. It must be taken deep into Mordor and cast back into the fiery chasm from whence it came!

Only then will such threads no longer threaten HFCanucks.

 

[RobertKron]

Seriously; there was an entire legion of posters here calling WD "twitchy" the whole time he was here which is classic playground bully mentality given that the reason for his problem was medical. If you view his career as a whole he has distinguished himself as a hockey coach in literally almost every role... except the NHL. Joining the Canucks is the surest way to destroy your career as we all know but his achievements in the game are admirable. He was wrong for this team for sure but I still think he was a whole lot better than Green (who lasted twice as long with worse results). And as for Gagner, Sbisa et al it seems to me that a whole lot of people here based their hatred (and it really is hatred sometimes) on the players' salaries which is idiotic. I remember Gags as being a useful bottom sixer who even got into the occasional (ill advised) fight. Made no difference here, posters still jeered him for it. I suspect that most of these unhappy people are simply jealous of what they see as lazy bums who are stealing the money of the fans, which, while not entirely untrue, is like being mad at, say, Billie Eilish for basically doing the same thing. I only watch the players play; contracts are not anything anybody can do anything about.

P.S. I actually do have a YT channel but it is mostly music and reviews...

Further to my original reply, I'd suggest that your third party persecution complex on behalf of Gagner has more to do with your hardon for Kassian than anything else.

 

[Zippgunn]

Further to my original reply, I'd suggest that your third party persecution complex on behalf of Gagner has more to do with your hardon for Kassian than anything else.

What? I have a "hard on" for Kassian? Do tell...

 

[Jumptheshark]

Personally I would have retired his number

 

[kcunac]

I think the reason his number is not retired is that he is not as closely associated with this franchise as guys like Smyl and Naslund were. Not saying I agree, but think that’s the logic.

 

[racerjoe]

I think the reason his number is not retired is that he is not as closely associated with this franchise as guys like Smyl and Naslund were. Not saying I agree, but think that’s the logic.

If that’s the case doesn’t Bure jump out at you? He was t close to the team at all and still isn’t.

 

[wetcoast]

I'd have 16-22-33 as the only retired numbers and I hate cheap number retirements so I'm in agreement with this.

That said, I would have retired Luongo's number before Naslund's.

Honestly are even these 3 great enough to have their numbers retired?

Speaks volumes about how mediocre the Canucks have and continue to be really.

Jersey retirement and ring of honor given the low Canuck bar makes it almost meaningless if we ever actually have something that resembles a dynasty.

 

[Kevinsane]

Honestly are even these 3 great enough to have their numbers retired?

Speaks volumes about how mediocre the Canucks have and continue to be really.

Jersey retirement and ring of honor given the low Canuck bar makes it almost meaningless if we ever actually have something that resembles a dynasty.

All three are more than deserving, IMO. The bar should be high, yes, but if it has to include a Stanley Cup there are and have been many great players around the NHL who would never see their number retired.