[Trade] Luongo (15% retained salary) traded to Panthers for Jacob Markstrom & Shawn Matthias

[opendoor]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

Haven't you always argued that Luo was at least a top 10, if not a top 5, goalie?

Well he was. But now he's pushing 35 and has had a couple of pretty mediocre seasons in a row of being outplayed by his backup.

[morgin]

Originally Posted by Igottago

I lived in Vancouver for many of Luongo's prime years there...the fanbase and media was absolutely ruthless on the guy, considering he was probably their all time best goalie. The whole atmosphere surrounding that team is a circus.

This is a little bit revisionist. There were periods where the entire world appeared to be anti-Luongo, this board and Van fans and Van media and Canadian media included.

From 2006 until the end of the 2008 season, he was absolutely what you would call a fan-favourite. Everyone loved him. However, the collapse at the end of the 2008 season where the nucks missed the playoffs was largely put on him and then naming him captain afterwards, combined with his then weird approach to media and fans, kind of soured him with the fans. He was still obviously an amazing goalie but the organization put him into this awkward position where he was expected to be the face of the franchise and he didn't really seem to want that. It would be like if the Flames had made Kipper the face of the franchise - he was happier and seemed to thrive out of the spotlight not saying much. Luongo strugged with being that face, and combined with the playoff collapses, it was a tough thing for the fans. This kind of culminated in 2011 with the Boston performances and his awkward interviews and coming across as detached from the reality of it all.

2011 onwards, especially with how he handled himself with the Schneider 1A/1B situation, being relegated to backup in the playoffs, trying to be traded but not being able to, still being really humble and really finding a way to connect with people, I'd say his image and the fanbase's treatment of him improved dramatically. I haven't read many stories out of Van this year critical of Luongo - they've been squarely targetting Gillis and the rest of coaching/management (which started back with AV) for how they handled it all.

Not to say the Van fanbase isn't disimilar from that of the Leafs or Canadiens - brutal when a player isn't performing, bipolar at the best of times, laregely uninformed except what they hear in passing from their friends. Just that I wouldn't say it was always ruthless to Luongo, and if anything, he's probably one of the more popular people on that team now (which can be called bandwagony if you want, as his image improved pretty much with everyone at the same time).

Also, anyone relying of HF boards as a sample of any hockey fanbase is gonna have a bad time.

Also, anyone giving Gillis any credit for this move is insane. You have to look at the whole, and the whole is that he turned two franchise goalies into zero proven franchise players. That should be insta-fired.

[Looch City]

Originally Posted by opendoor

Well he was. But now he's pushing 35 and has had a couple of pretty mediocre seasons in a row of being outplayed by his backup and having a lackluster team around him.

fyp

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

It's an interesting dynamic. Of those four, I would rank Lack as the best, but Markstrom as the worst, and by a fair margin. Hell, I'd take Berra over Markstrom (and obviously that places Ramo well above him too). It's pretty amazing to see just how little Gillis turned Schneider and Luongo into, even accounting for the fact that goalies don't get the same prices.

What is really interesting about this is how it affects Kesler's trade. Gillis shot for the moon on Luongo, and ended up crashing as badly as a North Korean rocket. Will he try the same with Kesler, or will he play it safer now and aim a little lower?

If this is the best return that he can get for Loungo, Canuck fans might have to look forward to a can of 16 years old Chunky soup and a spork for Kesler.

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by Cleveland Steam Whistle

At least the door slammed shut in their face. The pain the Flames endured trying desparately to prop the tiniest crack in their door open was not helpful.

Very sad that the Nucks are being forced to accept a quick death on this version of the team, was hoping they'd let it linger a few more seasons and do some more damage like we did before accepting their fate.

Sure, but do the Canucks realize the door has slammed shut? The trades Gillis has made over the last year have been to get out from under disastrous personnel decisions and to accommodate players who wanted the hell out. There's no real sense that he has a plan of any kind. Other than the Schneider trade, there hasn't been much commitment to a "build for the future" philosophy.

[zamler]

Just watched the Luongo bit talking to him at the airport. You could see and hear the relief, even elation in his voice although he was trying to hold it back. Happy for the guy.

[PeteMoss]

Originally Posted by sun

What do Panthers fans think of this deal? Has anyone asked either of them?

Hard to see why Panther fans would complain about it. They dont spend near to the cap anyways so its not like Luongo's contract is going to cause cap issues. i suppose down the road their owner could end up cheaping out on a good young player because of this contract, but for now they improved their team without giving up much and signals they don't want to be in perpetual rebuilding.

[codynw]

Originally Posted by PeteMoss

Hard to see why Panther fans would complain about it. They dont spend near to the cap anyways so its not like Luongo's contract is going to cause cap issues. i suppose down the road their owner could end up cheaping out on a good young player because of this contract, but for now they improved their team without giving up much and signals they don't want to be in perpetual rebuilding.

Didn't the Panthers' new ownership say they were willing to spend to the cap?

[PeteMoss]

Originally Posted by Cleveland Steam Whistle

At least the door slammed shut in their face. The pain the Flames endured trying desparately to prop the tiniest crack in their door open was not helpful.

Very sad that the Nucks are being forced to accept a quick death on this version of the team, was hoping they'd let it linger a few more seasons and do some more damage like we did before accepting their fate.

Its not like this deal does anything to show they are building for the future. They just got out from Luongo's contract which wasn't bad dollar wise (just a terrible length).

Even if they move Kesler tomorrow... they still have the Sedins/Garrison/Bieksa/Hamhuis, etc. They are basically moving from drafting in the 12-14 range to the 8-10 range. They aren't going to be able to bottom out (which as we've seen is hard to do given the awful roster the Flames have right now and still struggling to get into the bottom 3 of the league)

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by Cleveland Steam Whistle

At least the door slammed shut in their face. The pain the Flames endured trying desparately to prop the tiniest crack in their door open was not helpful.

Very sad that the Nucks are being forced to accept a quick death on this version of the team, was hoping they'd let it linger a few more seasons and do some more damage like we did before accepting their fate.

I don't think they are though.

They have the Sedins for 4 more years. They have Bieksa, Hamhuis, and others on the point.

They are firmly in the what-do-we-do-now? tweener camp.

I think they are 3 years from hitting bottom. They turned a deep and relatively young core into a very brief window. Now they are on a slow slide downwards (even if it's a steaper slope than the Flames were on)

People complain that the Flames hung on too long. Well the Nucks did too little to support their core - it can take a decade to build a contending core into its prime.

[Caged Great]

Originally Posted by 19Yzerman19

^You run a Flames fan podcast and yet are a Panthers fan?

I am a Flames fan by far first, but it helps to scout the east if you have a 2nd team in the other conference to follow. I've been following them since before Bouwmeester was drafted by them. Makes it easier to watch games when you're picking a team to cheer for instead of just watching randoms.

[19Yzerman19]

^Yeah, okay, I'm less likely to take the view of "flames fan first" Panthers fans given the bias that suggests. Has anyone got any quotes from HF Panthers, if that even exists?

Ideal scenario: Canucks somehow rally and make the playoffs, causing their draft pick number to drop. Manage to make it to a series lead in the first round, against all odds. Lack gets injured leaving Markstrom with the net. Other team comes back to sweep the remaining games in the series, completely lighting up Markstrom, who lets in 7 goals in the 7th game.

Canucks fans riot again, this time burning Mike Gillis's house.

[Stupid]

At first my reaction was something like "oh boy the canucks are starting their rebuild at a good moment in time" which is bad news.

But then I saw the return for Luongo and breathed a sigh of relief.

[Enoch Root]

And why do people keep arguing this trade as some kind of rebuild trade for the Nucks?

Matthias is a 26 year old bottom 6er.

[Violator]

Wonder were Halak is gonna go now

As a Canucks fan I am pissed cause Luongo could give you forty wins,But called it quits during the playoffs and spooked easily.His wife and family never liked Vancouver and preferred Florida so yeah.

[moon]

Originally Posted by opendoor

That's what happens when a top 20 goalie has the contract of a top 3 goalie and would've likely cleared waivers.

Top 20?

I guess now that he is gone he drops 10 spots.

He is easily top 12 and likely top 10.

And there is no way he would have cleared waivers. You repeating it over and over doesn't make it more true.

[Cleveland Steam Whistle]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

And why do people keep arguing this trade as some kind of rebuild trade for the Nucks?

Matthias is a 26 year old bottom 6er.

More a worry that this trade will force them down a path. Agreed, they have yet to fully signal they are open to the rebuild. The type of return they look for / get in the Kesler deal will likely be a better indication of where there heads are at.

[moon]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

And why do people keep arguing this trade as some kind of rebuild trade for the Nucks?

Matthias is a 26 year old bottom 6er.

My guess is because part of the rebuild is moving out the old guard/core of the team.

A lot harder to rebuild while you have high paid stars on the team as we found out by keeping Iginla around.

[devo22]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

And why do people keep arguing this trade as some kind of rebuild trade for the Nucks?

Matthias is a 26 year old bottom 6er.

they made a move that leaves them with the inexperienced goalie tandem in the league. How else would you name it?

[nik-]

Have we made the Markstrom is a flopper so he'll fit right in jokes yet?