Luongo

[Redleaf]

I would think that Carlyle will give Reimer a run of games to see how he does. If he fails the Luongo talk will peak.

...along with the asking price. Smartest way to play it, if Nonis is planning on acquiring him, is to do it when Reimer is on a winning streak, when the media is convinced we don't need him.

I agree.  If Reimer gets hot it'll more than likely be Gillis calling Nonis to inquire if he's "still interested".  Nonis in the driver seat, "I don't really need Luongo, so I can't give up much.."

Nonis seems like a pretty bright GM. My gut tells me that if Reimer goes on a bit of a streak in his next 5-10 games, and Luongo still isn't a Leaf; it ain't happening. He won't wait until he's backed into a corner to make a deal.

 

[Peter D.]

One thing I find a bit comical about this whole situation, particularly from the media, is that it's Luongo or bust for the Leafs.  As if the Leafs are forced and pigeonholed into acquiring Luongo as a goalie. 

Who's to say Nonis doesn't go out and get a shorter term solution in Kiprussoff or Elliott?  Or he doesn't feel comfortable going after Bernier as the team's #1?

 

[caver]

Excellent point PD. Nonis would look good if he managed to add a competent goalie who is not Luongo.

 

[Zee]

Excellent point PD. Nonis would look good if he managed to add a competent goalie who is not Luongo.

Imagine the look on Gillis's face if Nonis gets someone else?  The heat would turn up to ultra-high in Vancouver with fans realizing the last trading partner is now out of the picture.

 

[Redleaf]

One thing I find a bit comical about this whole situation, particularly from the media, is that it's Luongo or bust for the Leafs.  As if the Leafs are forced and pigeonholed into acquiring Luongo as a goalie. 

Who's to say Nonis doesn't go out and get a shorter term solution in Kiprussoff or Elliott?  Or he doesn't feel comfortable going after Bernier as the team's #1?

If that's the course Nonis sees as the best option, I'll be on board with it, although I don't see Bernier as the answer right now. And to Zee's point, I would love to see Gillis fumble this Luongo thing big time as well!

 

[cw]

And to Zee's point, I would love to see Gillis fumble this Luongo thing big time as well!

So would I.

Following a strong high school performance and a good showing at the WJHC U18, with a good size frame, Schneider was drafted in the first round by the Canucks in 2004. After that, he won some awards in college. In the months prior to the Luongo deal, he had progressed to the Calder Cups finals, First AHL All Star Team, AHL Best Goaltender award & the AHL's version of the Vezina award. By 2009, Schenider had a strong pedigree and had progressed well as a prospect. And so it doesn't come as a complete surprise that Schneider is where he is today.

Now Luongo was highly regarded and would have been a top UFA so he would have commanded a long term deal - something resembling the deal he got. But Gillis was the one who did that deal with Schneider in the wings and should that hamstring the Canucks in some fashion, Gillis is the one who has to take responsibility for it.

I still come around to: if Luongo is still so good and his contract isn't an issue, according to Gillis, why isn't trading Schneider an option? The Sedins are 32, Kesler's beaten body is aging and the window for this group of Canucks to win it all has to be closing. Schneider would get them much more in a trade to help push them over the top while that window is still open ... if everything else Gillis maintains about Luongo is really true.

Actions may speak louder than words.

Gardiner for Schneider? That's something one might consider - particularly in comparison to Gardiner for Luongo.

 

[ZBBM]

I still come around to: if Luongo is still so good and his contract isn't an issue, according to Gillis, why isn't trading Schneider and option? The Sedins are 32, Kesler's beaten body is aging and the window for this group of Canucks to win it all has to be closing. Schneider would get them much more in a trade to help push them over the top while that window is still open ... if everything else Gillis maintains about Luongo is really true.

Actions may speak louder than words.

Excellent point as usual, cw.  I wonder if somebody has ever asked Gillis point-blank about this.

 

[Peter D.]

I still come around to: if Luongo is still so good and his contract isn't an issue, according to Gillis, why isn't trading Schneider and option? The Sedins are 32, Kesler's beaten body is aging and the window for this group of Canucks to win it all has to be closing. Schneider would get them much more in a trade to help push them over the top while that window is still open ... if everything else Gillis maintains about Luongo is really true.

Actions may speak louder than words.

Excellent point as usual, cw.  I wonder if somebody has ever asked Gillis point-blank about this.

I've thought about that point, but isn't Luongo the one that requested the trade?

I've also thought of the possibility of Luongo remaining a Canuck and Schneider being traded. Would be surprising at this point, but it wouldn't boggle my mind.

 

[Rebel_1812]

I still come around to: if Luongo is still so good and his contract isn't an issue, according to Gillis, why isn't trading Schneider and option? The Sedins are 32, Kesler's beaten body is aging and the window for this group of Canucks to win it all has to be closing. Schneider would get them much more in a trade to help push them over the top while that window is still open ... if everything else Gillis maintains about Luongo is really true.

Actions may speak louder than words.

Excellent point as usual, cw.  I wonder if somebody has ever asked Gillis point-blank about this.

Gillis usually directs the interviews to his purposes.

 

[Zee]

Gillis isn't dumb enough to trade a 26 year old goalie and keep a 33 year old goalie. Nice to have two guys who can be number 1 right now, but all things being equal he'll keep the younger guy.

 

[cw]

I've thought about that point, but isn't Luongo the one that requested the trade?

Not exactly according to Gillis & Luongo as I recall.

During his exit interview last season, Luongo said that if they determined that they wanted only one of them and Luongo wasn't their first choice to keep, Luongo wouldn't stand in their way to do what was best for the team. - something to that effect (and naturally within the limits of him relaxing his no trade clause to teams Luongo approved of).

Next year, the Canucks have 14 signed and only $3.9 mil in cap space. Purging themselves of a $4-5.3 mil cap hit for one of their goalies is beyond making plenty of sense from their perspective - they pretty much have to do it by then.

 

[Rebel_1812]

I've thought about that point, but isn't Luongo the one that requested the trade?

Not exactly according to Gillis & Luongo as I recall.

During his exit interview last season, Luongo said that if they determined that they wanted only one of them and Luongo wasn't their first choice to keep, Luongo wouldn't stand in their way to do what was best for the team. - something to that effect (and naturally within the limits of him relaxing his no trade clause to teams Luongo approved of).

Next year, the Canucks have 14 signed and only $3.9 mil in cap space. Purging themselves of a $4-5.3 mil cap hit for one of their goalies is beyond making plenty of sense from their perspective - they pretty much have to do it by then.

After how Gillis has hyped the potential return in the media there is no way he can trade Luongo for little return now.  He would look worse then the columbus GM that gave away Rick Nash.  Gillis has really put himself in a corner, he has to hope some team is desperate at the trade deadline.  Teams give up way too much at that time.

 

[leafplasma]

Seems like you are all very quick to jump on Scriven's for Thursday night's debacle. He looked solid for the first half of the game.  The Leafs poor play would have surely caught up to any goalie.  Some bad breaks and a tired team got blown out in the classic let down affair.  We have seen some strange results all over the league.  I still go with Scrivens for the bulk of games early in the season.

 

[caver]

I don't think Scrivens gets the bulk of games. Burke said "We believe in James Reimer" and Nonis repeated it recently. Reimer will be expected to be the starter.

 

[sneakyray]

plus carlyle said he wanted to have the decision to play scrivens against NY back.

 

[Hampreacher]

Scrivens looked shakey in the first two games. I think Reimer can and will step up. Leafs would be foolish to pay for Luongo when they can get him for nothing this summer. It would be different if he was the player to put them over the top, but he is not.

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

Reimer's EV SV% the last couple year is great, and I think he should get some time to prove himself.

 

[Zee]

Reimer's EV SV% the last couple year is great, and I think he should get some time to prove himself.

If Reimer plays like last night I have no issues with him. Can't fault him on any goals. Had the Leafs held the Rangers to something reasonable like 25 shots Leafs win last night.

 

[Redleaf]

Reimer's EV SV% the last couple year is great, and I think he should get some time to prove himself.

If Reimer plays like last night I have no issues with him. Can't fault him on any goals. Had the Leafs held the Rangers to something reasonable like 25 shots Leafs win last night.

Agreed. I think the players are having a tough time learning Carlyle's system. They seemed to have gotten it the first couple of games, but have fallen back to playing the Wilson style of late.

 

[Corn Flake]

Reimer's EV SV% the last couple year is great, and I think he should get some time to prove himself.

If Reimer plays like last night I have no issues with him. Can't fault him on any goals. Had the Leafs held the Rangers to something reasonable like 25 shots Leafs win last night.

Agreed. I think the players are having a tough time learning Carlyle's system. They seemed to have gotten it the first couple of games, but have fallen back to playing the Wilson style of late.

not so sure.. they looked like they had it down pat vs. Pittsburgh.  I think NYR just overwhelmed them in the end last night. 

Also.. agree on Reimer. Looked really solid, controlled rebounds very well and was confident.  Glove hand reacting much better this year than his struggles last year, even if he is giving that option to shooters.  The Rangers kept shooting there and he handled the shots.