Pre-Game Talk: Heritage Classic - Ottawa at Vancouver Sunday, March 2 at BC Place @ 1:00 PM

[KDizzle]

For Gillis and Aquilini to have to beg Luongo to come back to Vancouver and for him to be thrown under the bus yet again... ugh. If this were another Sunday afternoon game, I wouldn't see the big deal.

But it's the marquee event of a dismal season. If anything, you give this to Lu just for the optics. It's not like the Canucks are going to score more than 1 goal anyway... who cares who's in net?

This is more than an issue of "play whoever is going to give you the best chance".
It's maintaining morale of your supposed number 1 goalie who you put through the wringer once already and promised never again. It makes the Canucks look like a joke organization (which they currently are) and it's just embarrassing.

 

[Finkle is Einhorn]

So what? He gets paid millions of dollars on a guaranteed contract to take the ups and downs along the way. If it's not worth it for him, then he can go sit at home in Florida. I'm a Luongo fan I just hate how some of his fans are such whiners.

I don't particularly care about a millionaire hockey player's feelings. I do care that the guy running the team (who will most likely be handling the Kesler trade by the way) completely botched a plum goaltending situation to an extent which I have never seen.

 

[Wetcoaster]

Hosea Cheung ‏@hosea24hours
Better selling point than 1915 SC final! RT @vanguy: The Canucks are honouring their heritage of goalie controversies.

 

[VeteranNetPresence]

i would love to see a bunch of empty seats tomorrow. if this organization is so hell bent on embarrassing themselves then you might as well double down

 

[PhilMick]

Taking the Sedins off the PP or benching them does absolutely nothing for the team. We don't have two young players to replace them. We do have Eddie Lack which is why he's playing.



The only reason there's drama is because Luongo is so unprofessional about this whole thing. Shut your mouth and do your job. And if you want out so god damn bad then give the team more options than just one team to trade you to.

I think you're the only one not getting this.

 

[Evolu7ion]

For Gillis and Aquilini to have to beg Luongo to come back to Vancouver and for him to be thrown under the bus yet again... ugh. If this were another Sunday afternoon game, I wouldn't see the big deal.

But it's the marquee event of a dismal season. If anything, you give this to Lu just for the optics. It's not like the Canucks are going to score more than 1 goal anyway... who cares who's in net?

This is more than an issue of "play whoever is going to give you the best chance".
It's maintaining morale of your supposed number 1 goalie who you put through the wringer once already and promised never again. It makes the Canucks look like a joke organization (which they currently are) and it's just embarrassing.

Agreed. At the end of the day it's two points to an eastern team, but now even if they win you've got a disgruntled core player and a public display of atrocious player treatment, and that's the best case scenario.

 

[Finkle is Einhorn]

The only reason there's drama is because Luongo is so unprofessional about this whole thing. Shut your mouth and do your job. And if you want out so god damn bad then give the team more options than just one team to trade you to.

I didn't say Luongo was innocent in all of this. But it is what it is. Unless there's a clear path to Luongo not being on the team, this is just kicking the hornet's nest. Luongo doesn't "deserve" the start, but it's the situation Gillis has in front of him.

 

[Wetcoaster]

I don't particularly care about a millionaire hockey player's feelings. I do care that the guy running the team (who will most likely be handling the Kesler trade by the way) completely botched a plum goaltending situation to an extent which I have never seen.

Why do you assume that GMMG made the decision or even if he had any input into the decision?

Sound to me more like a Tortorella move.

 

[Tiranis]

I didn't say Luongo was innocent in all of this. But it is what it is. Unless there's a clear path to Luongo not being on the team, this is just kicking the hornet's nest. Luongo doesn't "deserve" the start, but it's the situation Gillis has in front of him.

Personally, I would have more issues with Gillis making line-up decisions than I do with Tortorella creating controversy by doing his job. That's just me, of course.

 

[Evolu7ion]

People need to remember these are human beings not simply robots out there playing a game. Players emotions, feelings, and attitude play a part in the culture of the team, which impacts the outcome of games.

You can't keep dragging players through the mud and expect them to play their hearts out on a nightly basis. Further, Luongo is a core guy who has done a lot for this organization on and off the ice, what do you think this message says to his friends on the team or other players around the league who could potentially be interested in signing here?

 

[Finkle is Einhorn]

Personally, I would have more issues with Gillis making line-up decisions than I do with Tortorella creating controversy by doing his job. That's just me, of course.

Yeah, because that's what I meant.

 

[VeteranNetPresence]

luongo's brother is retweeting turco who basically calls the canucks organization a joke

 

[west in the east]

CKNW just tweeted that Lack is not confirmed, just believed, that he will be starting. Believed by who?

 

[mrmyheadhurts]

Why do you assume that GMMG made the decision or even if he had any input into the decision?

Sound to me more like a Tortorella move.

Yes, I like Torts but he is completely tone deaf most of the time.

 

[Sleeper]

I personally don't get the big deal, but that's just me. Lack has allowed 1 goal in the last 2 games and this team needs to go 15-5 to make the playoffs. Tortorella wouldn't be doing his job if he didn't go with the guy who's hot (as opposed to the guy who has been sitting around for 2 weeks). And I certainly don't know what this has to do with Gillis.

I agree it has nothing to do with Gillis, but I think you're being narrow sighted to not see why it's a big deal. These guys are not robots, there's an emotional dynamic at play here that matters considering Luongo is unlikely to be going anywhere any time soon. This whole season has been supposed to be part of the process of putting a band-aid on the Luongo-Canucks relationship, and with one, pointless, unnecessary decision the organizing rips it right off.

btw let's be honest here, Lack is playing great but he actually let in 2 goals yesterday in what should've been a regulation loss.

 

[LiquidSnake]

luongo's brother is retweeting turco who basically calls the canucks organization a joke

Because they've decided to go with the guy that's playing better?

 

[Tiranis]

I agree it has nothing to do with Gillis, but I think you're being narrow sighted to not see why it's a big deal. These guys are not robots, there's an emotional dynamic at play here that matters considering Luongo is unlikely to be going anywhere any time soon. This whole season has been supposed to be part of the process of putting a band-aid on the Luongo-Canucks relationship, and with one, pointless, unnecessary decision the organizing rips it right off.

Luongo has an option to submit a 5 team trade list this summer and IMO he was always going to take advantage of it.

 

[Finkle is Einhorn]

Luongo has an option to submit a 5 team trade list this summer and IMO he was always going to take advantage of it.

I think Gillis might need more than 5.

 

[y2kcanucks]

CKNW just tweeted that Lack is not confirmed, just believed, that he will be starting. Believed by who?

I don't see the tweet.

 

[Finkle is Einhorn]

Yes, I like Torts but he is completely tone deaf most of the time.

All roads still lead back to Gillis for me. Assemble a team that evidently needs a coach with perfect pitch and go for one with tone deafness.

 

[mrmyheadhurts]

I think Gillis might need more than 5.

I would think at this point Luongo would be thrilled to move anywhere, I'm not too worried about that list. I just don't know how they move that contract, perhaps Gillman has a trick up his sleeve?

All roads still lead back to Gillis for me. Assemble a team that evidently needs a coach with perfect pitch and go for one with tone deafness.

I would tend to agree, it would've been nice if Gillis stepped in here made Torts understand why this is a terrible idea. He is clearly not accustomed to a Canadian market or this volatile goalie situation, it was up to Gillis to educate him on these matters.

 

[NoShowWilly]

 

[John Bender*]

What the? LOL.

 

[Finkle is Einhorn]

I would think at this point Luongo would be thrilled to move anywhere, I'm not too worried about that list. I just don't know how they move that contract, perhaps Gillman has a trick up his sleeve?

I wasn't under the impression that Luongo didn't move last year because he was picky on location. Maybe we're all misinformed and a market has opened up for him because he'll go to 29 teams, but I doubt it.

 

[Superpest]

Wetcoaster who started the game in 1915? Do you remember?