WQF (3) Vancouver Canucks vs (6) San Jose Sharks (Sharks win 4-0!!!!).

[puckedoff]

Someone will take him, they just may not give Vancouver much to get him. Imagine he was playing for the Islanders right now, they'd be up 3-2 in the series at least. + they have the cap space too.

[opendoor]

Originally Posted by The Fonz

I'll say it again though, why would teams be interested in Luongo and his contract when there are a whole lot of other (better?) options out there.

Philly/Toronto/Pitts should all be chasing Miller/Smith/Thomas/Nabokov/Hiller/Bernier/Backstrom/Halak.

4 - UFAs
1 - RFA
2 - 1yr remaining

Luongo - 9yr remaining

Those guys will all either cost more assets to get than Luongo, will cost more in terms of cap hit than Luongo, are demonstrably worse options in terms of quality, or some combination of the 3.

GMs are generally pretty risk averse so I could see some going with those guys, but I'd argue that pinning your hopes on guys like Smith, Halak, or Backstrom to be great goalies going forward is probably even more risky. I think there's a real chance for a savvy GM to pay almost nothing for Luongo (and perhaps even send some junk the other way) and basically be set in goal for the next 4-5 years.

[Robbob]

Originally Posted by kyuss275

I get what you are saying now, and i fully agree.

What i was trying to point out earlier was that some posters thought Luongo had negative value before the season started. I do not believe that to be true. What they had was an inept GM who was greedy. Luo could have been traded for a 2nd and Bozak (according to Vancouver media), that return would not have been negative value. Vancouver could have really used Bozak this year and not had to trade a 2nd and D prospect for useless Roy.

While mentioning Roy, a word for Feaster: Do not go after him.

Yeah they could have had a 2nd and Bozak, but you are forgetting the most important part in what the Leafs were asking for. They wanted the Canucks to eat a portion of the salary. I vaguely remember on the TSN panel that they wanted the Canucks to eat 2 million per year.

[Locke]

I guess I havent been paying enough attention to the new CBA, you can ask teams to cover some of the salary too?

[Robbob]

Originally Posted by Locke

I guess I havent been paying enough attention to the new CBA, you can ask teams to cover some of the salary too?

Up to 50% of the cap hit.

In the Min-Buf trade, Buffalo ate 900k of Pommovile's cap hit

[Vinny01]

Originally Posted by OILFAN #81

To be fair, Vancouver scored a whopping 8 goals in a 7 games series with 3 of those goals coming in a game 2 win.

That was the most incredibly lopsided 7 game series ever! Van wins 3 1 goal games and gets blown out in 4 losses

[Bertuzzied]

Originally Posted by Vinny01

That was the most incredibly lopsided 7 game series ever! Van wins 3 1 goal games and gets blown out in 4 losses

Not only that, the Canucks made republican boy Thomas likeable! holy crap is that hard to do!

[kyuss275]

Originally Posted by Robbob

Yeah they could have had a 2nd and Bozak, but you are forgetting the most important part in what the Leafs were asking for. They wanted the Canucks to eat a portion of the salary. I vaguely remember on the TSN panel that they wanted the Canucks to eat 2 million per year.

The eating of salary was at the deadline. I don't think that was part of the deal in the summer.

[blankall]

Originally Posted by puckedoff

Someone will take him, they just may not give Vancouver much to get him. Imagine he was playing for the Islanders right now, they'd be up 3-2 in the series at least. + they have the cap space too.

I think a major issues they were having was that Luongo had presented the Canucks with a fairly limited number of teams he'd be willing to go to. It looks like he's beginning to realize the reality of the situation. If he doesn't find a starting position somewhere soon, his career is done.

Apparently, he's put his home in Vancouver up for sale. He seems pretty intent on moving now, and I'm guessing the number of teams he'd take a move to has dramatically increased.

[Enoch Root]

The way that Luongo has handled the last year has really increased my respect level for him. And there is no way that he will become a buyout candidate - that is just silly.

However, the expected return has deteriorated substantially for Gillis and the Canucks for thee reasons, IMO:

1) the cap situation will be far tighter for teams this summer than last summer
2) the goalie market is far more saturated than it was last summer
3) Gillis and Luongo have both already publicly stated what everyone knew anyway: Luongo will not be in Vancouver come October. Meaning Gillis' leverage has deteriorated substantially.

Those 3 factors will significantly reduce the return. Gillis played hardball last summer (understandable) and it backfired. Now he will get very little for him.

I believe that Luongo is going to end up in Florida, just as many suspected all along. Though in another thread, someone suggested Phaneuf for Luongo and, while I think Van would have to add, I can see that as a trade that might make sense for both teams.

This I going to be one of the most interesting summers in along time.

[landshark]

Originally Posted by Bertuzzied

Not only that, the Canucks made republican boy Thomas likeable! holy crap is that hard to do!

That's ABSURD! They made hard working, paid his dues boy Thomas likable - that wasn't hard. But now that he's hide in a bunker boy, NO ONE can make him likable...

I can't wait 'till he shows up in boston saying, "Hey, I'm back!"

[ClubFlames]

Originally Posted by landshark

That's ABSURD! They made hard working, paid his dues boy Thomas likable - that wasn't hard. But now that he's hide in a bunker boy, NO ONE can make him likable...

I can't wait 'till he shows up in boston saying, "Hey, I'm back!"

Thomas is property of the Islanders.

[Dion]

http://fans.sharks.nhl.com/community.../page__st__320

[HOOT]

Originally Posted by MrMastodonFarm

Poor guy and his guaranteed 40 million dollars he's going to make on top of the 23 million he's made.

Woe is Roberto.

I'm not talking about his wallet, and neither was he. But I'm sure even you could appreciate how important it is for these guys to play. I'm sure if he could he would rework his contract but he can't. I just think for all the flack the guy has gotten, and I'm probably one of the worst, he has handled this situation like a professional. It actually shocked me because I was wishing for more drama but he never really gave any. Can't blame the guy for speaking the truth and wanting to play. Being a starter is all he knows.

[old-fart]

Cap space couldn't have been part of the deal last summer as that wasn't possible under the old CBA. Having said that, if the deal really was a second and Bozek, the Nucks fans should be ticked at Gillis because that will seem like a lottery win based on what they will actually get this summer for him.

After watching the Kings/Blues last night I think either of those teams would have dispatched the Nucks in 2 and it would have been so lopsided the NHL would have pulled out a mercy rule for the last two. The only playoff team in the west the Nucks would have had any shot against is the Wild, and only because of their goalie injuries. I'm not sure the Nucks would beat any Eastern playoff team in a series.

[killer_carlson]

Vancouver has the talent to win, but they are completely lost mentally. Distracted by Kessler's theatrics. Distracted by the goalie drama. Distracted by Burrow and bieksa's dirty play and whining. They were so bothered by the other crap, they had no interest or no time for winning.

God forbid one of th media out there runs a story or asks a question about something other than how great they are or how hard done by they are by a referee.

[longsuffering]

Originally Posted by opendoor

Yeah, that makes a lot of sense. Schneider has faced about 3000 shots in his regular season and playoff career which is a pretty healthy sample. In that span he's put up a combined .927 sv%. In Cloutier's first 3000 shots he put up an .894 sv%.

Schneider has also put up the highest aggregate sv% in the league in the last 3 seasons:

http://www.hockey-reference.com/play...er_by=save_pct

And finally, he also has the highest career sv% in the history of the NHL up to the age of 27. Obviously that's not era adjusted, but it's still indicative of just how good he's been.

Comparing Schneider to Cloutier makes about as much sense as comparing Rask to Byron Dafoe. Just an illogical comparison based on nothing but what team they play for with a dash of wishful thinking.

Keep consoling yourself with his stats.

He's 1-4 in the playoffs and has yet to win 'the big game'.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by killer_carlson

Vancouver has the talent to win, but they are completely lost mentally. Distracted by Kessler's theatrics. Distracted by the goalie drama. Distracted by Burrow and bieksa's dirty play and whining. They were so bothered by the other crap, they had no interest or no time for winning.

God forbid one of th media out there runs a story or asks a question about something other than how great they are or how hard done by they are by a referee.

They dont have the drive that it takes to win in the playoffs. I'd seriously question their leadership.

Look at the attitude of that team. They want it handed to them, they dont want to work for it, or earn it.

"We cant win because we dont get enough powerplays....."

They dont power through it and find a way, they turn tail and quit.

Theres no heart on that team. The Sedins play like guys that just want to go home.

"We made the playoffs? Again? Do we have to?"

[kyuss275]

Reading articles and looking over "cap geek" the nucks are screwed. I knew they were in bad shape, but i did not know how bad it really is. I thought Calgary was in rough shape a couple of years ago with a veteran team and NMC/NTC, but Vancouver is way worse. They have 7 NMC/NTC and apparenlty another 4 players NMC/NTC kick in July 1st. That makes 11 players with clauses LOL. Granted it will be down to 10 when they trade Luongo.

They are screwed with the Sisters. Can not see a team taking $12 million in this off season for them. At least not a team that they would waive to. Don't think they could trade them at the deadline because as much as i hate Vancouver, they will still be a playoff team. Not sure how they could sell their fan base on trading twins if they are in a playoff spot? That would leave them with 2 options at the end of the season. Either re-sign the veterans, which will screw them over long term, or let them walk for nothing.

I was thinking they could trade Burrows before his contract NMC kicks in, but how does a team that lacks gritty play trade on of the few players with gritty play? Add to the fact that the contract going forward is bad.

They have no center prospects that could take over for Kessler, so they will have to keep him.

Their prospect pool is as bad as Calgary's was a couple of years ago, and looks to stay the same if they keep making te playoffs but getting booted in the first round.

I love every minute of it and i hope they keep Gillis on for his entire contract.

[browna]

Originally Posted by killer_carlson

Vancouver has the talent to win, but they are completely lost mentally.

The Stanley Cup Final hangover really kicked this team in the teeth, and they couldn't recover. Those guys on that Cup team knew how many breaks they got, how long and draining mentally/emotionally/physically a playoff run is, and how hard it is to replicate that come playoff time...and how close they were to winning it, but how not winning it meant the long journey and sacrifice wasn't worth it in the end. That sort of mentality is somewhat flawed, but the results the last two years show that it may be the case.

The last two seasons, its almost as if they know how hard its going to be to win 15 games in the playoffs and get to the same position they were in 2 years ago, to change that result.

The Flames didn't quite have that after 2004. There was a season off, and the team was an underdog and then loaded up as a "have" team coming out of the lockout. Vancouver was a "have" team, and good enough to win, but choked it away. Regular seasons since, that talent has shown itself when the pressure is off...but with the pressure on and the long climb ahead of them to get to the finals and get into a Stanley Cup clinching game, that seems like miles and miles away for the roster, which they're not clearly ready for doing all it takes to take on that challenge.

But as a fan, I know I did have that desolate feeling that night in June 2004....getting within 1 goal and 1 period away...or an OT win away from the Cup, given the roller coaster of the playoffs, was going to be hard for any team to automatically duplicate, given injuries, bounces, etc every year. I knew the team was going to be better player wise in the years ahead, but that didn't automatically mean a better result if things went the other way at some point in the playoffs...and its been 9 years since.