Dan Spiegel: Luongo's Still Got It

It wasn't Luongo who was disliked in Vancouver, it was the whole never ending goaltending soap opera that we hated. And he wasn't chased out of town, he asked to be traded. I like Lou, I miss his humorous post game conferences and I wish him all of the best in Florida, but I'm glad the whole mess is done with.

I don't think anyone ever questioned whether Luongo is a good regular season goalie. It's more an issue of the fact that he just can't pull out the big win when it counts. A pylon could have looked like Patrick Roy in back of the Canadian Olympic team that won Luongo a gold medal. Every other opportunity he's had...he's failed. So, let the retirees in Sunrise enjoy the regular season. Why not?

Luongo was loved in Van and he still is. But he was also judged every night, and when things got rough, he tended to fold under the pressure.

Great goalie, great guy, but he couldn't handle the Van media pressure. Not many can.

Luongo was loved in Van and he still is. But he was also judged every night, and when things got rough, he tended to fold under the pressure.

Great goalie, great guy, but he couldn't handle the Van media pressure. Not many can.
- moondawg

I agree, a rock solid regular season goalie(although the bellflops pissed us all off), but he either great or horrible in high pressure situations, definitely not steady. Even during the cup run he had way too an ups and downs. Good addition for a team like Florida though.

Better get him some offense or his ass will be wore out!

Better get him some offense or his ass will be wore out!
- PanthersGoal

I'm siding with my fellow Vancouverites here, Dan.

Lu was loved here. During the Heritage Classic last March, I think that was made pretty clear.

He was loudly disliked by some, but that's like any goalie going back to anyone after Captain Kirk. This place is a goalie graveyard for a reason and he was just the latest casualty (though for 6 years he quelled that term here). We miss him a lot. We're almost into November so you guys are going to see some magic. Enjoy it.

Will he still have it from 2018-2021 when he will be 39-41 years old and still making $4.5 million? This concerns me.

I'm siding with my fellow Vancouverites here, Dan.

Lu was loved here. During the Heritage Classic last March, I think that was made pretty clear.

He was loudly disliked by some, but that's like any goalie going back to anyone after Captain Kirk. This place is a goalie graveyard for a reason and he was just the latest casualty (though for 6 years he quelled that term here). We miss him a lot. We're almost into November so you guys are going to see some magic. Enjoy it.
- gomer300

Correction: he was and is liked by a majority of British Columbians. His ego held him back when he'd prefer to get bombed instead of pulled when the team was having a bad game. Never understood why A/V would let him stay in the net to get shelled.totally ruined his stats and the team never learned how to come back after a goalchie change.

Correction: he was and is liked by a majority of British Columbians. His ego held him back when he'd prefer to get bombed instead of pulled when the team was having a bad game. Never understood why A/V would let him stay in the net to get shelled.totally ruined his stats and the team never learned how to come back after a goalchie change.
- kaptaan

Coach V hadn't had an elite goalie to that point in his career and Lu was Captain for a time. There were some missteps - I think the best of Lu is yet to come (though it'll be much shorter than the window of awesome we've all seen to-date).

The pressure in a hockey city got to Luongo. In Florida he is out of the hot seat.

The pressure in a hockey city got to Luongo. In Florida he is out of the hot seat.
- VanHockeyGuy

And yet still better than what you have now.

And yet still better than what you have now.
- PanthersGoal

Look at the Miller/Luongo GAA. Perhaps Lou will play better in Seattle or Quebec

Look at the Miller/Luongo GAA. Perhaps Lou will play better in Seattle or Quebec

- VanHockeyGuy

my favorite part is how saying there's less pressure being the goalie in fla as opposed to van is apparently some kind of shot that deserves a snarky response. or any response at all really.

my favorite part is how saying there's less pressure being the goalie in fla as opposed to van is apparently some kind of shot that deserves a snarky response. or any response at all really.
- mark_laforest

There is WAY less pressure in FLA than in VAN. Not a shot at all, just a fact.

Look at the Miller/Luongo GAA. Perhaps Lou will play better in Seattle or Quebec

- VanHockeyGuy

Ignoring your stupid ass redundant relocate shytt, I don't expect Luongo to be the 21st best net minder as the season progresses, however one could expect Miller to actually be around 22 where he is.

And yet still better than what you have now.
- PanthersGoal

Not with the drama, no. His wife was also pushing for them to go back to FLA as well. Why keep a guy around who didn't want to be here? You're not gonna have a successful franchise that way. Miller's been solid(outside of one stinker) and Lack is one of the best backups in the league despite a rough start.

There is WAY less pressure in FLA than in VAN. Not a shot at all, just a fact.
- VanHockeyGuy

tru dat

Ignoring your stupid ass redundant relocate shytt, I don't expect Luongo to be the 21st best net minder as the season progresses, however one could expect Miller to actually be around 22 where he is.
- PanthersGoal

Lou is an emotional guy, does not take pressure well especially in a goaltenders graveyard like Vancouver. Miller AND Luongo don't deserve the $$$ they are getting.

Ignoring your stupid ass redundant relocate shytt, I don't expect Luongo to be the 21st best net minder as the season progresses, however one could expect Miller to actually be around 22 where he is.
- PanthersGoal

I say Seattle.

Vancouver fans are incredibly fickle with their tendies. In fact, after living in Vancouver for 5 years relative to growing up around Edmonton I would say the Vancouver fan base is much less faithful and passionate about hockey than the Oilers fan base. When Luongo deserved praise and credit it came very grudgingly from a lot of the fans, but when the team as a whole performed poorly it was often Luongo who took the blunt end of the judgement. Goaltenders are an easy target for a city filled with fans who aren't really all that die-hard about hockey.

But like I said, my point of comparison is Edmonton, probably not the easiest measuring stick for a fan base.

Vancouver fans are incredibly fickle with their tendies. In fact, after living in Vancouver for 5 years relative to growing up around Edmonton I would say the Vancouver fan base is much less faithful and passionate about hockey than the Oilers fan base. When Luongo deserved praise and credit it came very grudgingly from a lot of the fans, but when the team as a whole performed poorly it was often Luongo who took the blunt end of the judgement. Goaltenders are an easy target for a city filled with fans who aren't really all that die-hard about hockey.

But like I said, my point of comparison is Edmonton, probably not the easiest measuring stick for a fan base.
- RonPielep

Ok.

I say Seattle.
- VanHockeyGuy

Mrs Lu will be pissed if the team ends up back in the Northwest after finally getting him to take his talents to South beach


I'm rooting for it to happen after the pathetic turnout at Panthers games so far.

Mrs Lu will be pissed if the team ends up back in the Northwest after finally getting him to take his talents to South beach


I'm rooting for it to happen after the pathetic turnout at Panthers games so far.
- Vanoxy

oh man, that last part is gonna bring the tears.