He'll probably get a crack first unit given it's history. The PP is going to need some work to find 1 unit, let alone 2.
- golfingsince

Does the PP realy matter come playoffs, we all know how the officiating changes.
We need improved 5 on 5 play, relying on the PP hurt us in 2011.

Serious question, how is Cam Barker doing with you guys? Any semblance of the guy who got 40 points in Chicago a few years back? I know he's got 2 points in 7 gp and is a +2, but I want to know moreso how he looks.
- mykokes

I don't think he has really looked out of place and usually makes the safe, smart play to get the puck out of the zone. Has definitely lost the offensive touch, but I'll take safe and smart over watching Bieksa put a giveaway pass backwards between the legs to another opposing player in our defensive zone anyday. I'm also probably one of the few who think Andrew Alberts is playing a smarter stronger game these days.

Unfortunately, AV will butcher it to the point where we don't even realize we have the pieces to create 4 decent lines.
- DrChristianTroy

Forget four decent lines, I just hope he can put together two or three.

Does the PP realy matter come playoffs, we all know how the officiating changes.
We need improved 5 on 5 play, relying on the PP hurt us in 2011.
- A_SteamingLombardi

Yes, special teams are very important come playoff time. That said, 5 on 5 is how the majority of the game is played. For the most part, teams don't win without getting contributions from the PP.

Forget four decent lines, I just hope he can put together two or three.
- Nucker101

Yes, special teams are very important come playoff time. That said, 5 on 5 is how the majority of the game is played. For the most part, teams don't win without getting contributions from the PP.
- golfingsince

Yeah, I agree that you need at least a respectable PP, but the better 5 on 5 team almost always wins the playoff series which is why I really hope that AV can come up with the right line combinations by the time the playoffs start.

Not any more he won't .

Expect a Lu Edler package to NYI or Buff
- VANTEL

why would lou waive to go to NYI or Buff? would you?

why would lou waive to go to NYI or Buff? would you?
- hnic

Better question, why would BUF trade Miller then acquire Luongo?

why would lou waive to go to NYI or Buff? would you?
- hnic

Did you not get the impression yesterday Lu would waive to play anywhere?

Better question, why would BUF trade Miller then acquire Luongo?
- Nucker101

Big return for Miller, then acquire Luongo for peanuts. Sounds good to me.

Did you not get the impression yesterday Lu would waive to play anywhere?
- golfingsince

no. i got the impression he was pissed because the teams he wanted to play for didn't step up.

Big return for Miller, then acquire Luongo for peanuts. Sounds good to me.
- DrChristianTroy

I still like the idea of sending him to the Islanders and taking Dipietro back in the deal along with a bunch of young talent.

no. i got the impression he was pissed because the teams he wanted to play for didn't step up.
- hnic

All 37 of them.

goin to the game tonight.
amped. oilers need this one.

if ur watching on tv, just look for the totally kickazz guy cheering for the oilers.

i hate all of you
- hugefemale dog77

Your name suits you.....Canucks will win..revenge... canucks 4 vs oilers 1 ........

I still like the idea of sending him to the Islanders and taking Dipietro back in the deal along with a bunch of young talent.
- golfingsince

I thought Gillis should have offered Philly a Luongo & Raymond for Bryzgalov & Hartnell swap.

Your name suits you.....Canucks will win..revenge... canucks 4 vs oilers 1 ........
- Canuckfan2006

well yeah....

i came up with it right?

Ian,

No disrespect intended but I think you are way off base when it comes to Luongo and teams not wanting him. No one is questioning his ability to play goal. He's got 3-4 good years left (minus the year that's been burned due to the lockout but mostly due to playing backup). The problem has been and always will be the amount of years left on the contract. Luongo knows it, Gillis knows it, every other GM in the NHL knows it.

Who in their right mind will want to pay that contract or even worst have the contract count against the cap until the year 2022? Can you honestly say that if the tables were reversed and the Canucks were looking for help in goal, given the fact that you have two goalies that although they are unproven have been doing more than an adequate job during the regular season, you'd want the Canucks to make the trade?

Luongo said it himself yesterday that his contract is what is screwing him. Gillis can downplay it all he wants but blaming it on the emotions of a stressful day but it`s the truth.

If there is any team out there willing to even give one 7th round pick (assuming the NHL approves such a trade) for Luongo, Gillis should jump over it. The assets in return going to the Canucks would be valuable cap space and losing the distraction in the dressing room.

Here`s to hoping that Nonis passes on Luongo this summer and let`s Gillis suck on that contract until 2022.
- DefenceMinister

x1000

All 37 of them.
- golfingsince

i think the only way MG can save face on this is to persuade lou to stay and move schneider

gillis needs to buy luongo a case of scotch and a membership to vancouver golf club to smoothe things over

This is interesting, but hardly surprising on the accuracy of rumor "insiders"

http://www.nj.com/devils/...r_how_accurate_are_n.html

it baffles me as to how no team stepped to the plate and offered a pair of second round picks for Roberto Luongo
- IanEsplen

don't like this argument at all because do you know how many teams are out there that aren't even spending the money in the first place? The Bruins have 6.1 million in cap room they aren't using. The Kings have 8.2 million just lying around. The Ducks have more than 13 million in space open. And the Blues are spending a whopping 18 million less than the Canucks.

You can build a team that can challenge and not spend to the cap. Is 5.3 million on a backup wise? No. But can Vancouver compete with the big boys while spending less? Absolutely.
- IanEsplen

It's interesting that you feel other teams are foolish because they don't want to strap themselves down for 8 years to a hefty contract. There's no doubt Luongo is still great goalie, but who knows how much he has left in the tank. It's easy to look down your nose at all the other teams as a seller, but taking on that contract is much more risk than reward IMO. It's also easy to spend other teams money. I don't think it's foolish in the least if teams are not having to spend to the cap ceiling to put a good product on the ice. That's just smart business. Having a decent amount of cap space doesn't mean hey we should go out and acquire a terrible contract on a good player just because we have the room. Teams that can stay competitive while being able to afford to keep X amount of cap space for that rainy day or emergency signing are the teams that have good management. Clearly Vancouver was under poor management when they made the Luongo deal a reality. Now you're saying other teams are foolish because they have money to spend but don't want to take on a terrible deal that could back fire on them if Lu doesn't play it out at a high level.

Maybe the biggest reason they couldn't move him is because none of the other 29 teams in the league wanted to be the ones that helped Vancouver out of it's own mess.

Ian,

No disrespect intended but I think you are way off base when it comes to Luongo and teams not wanting him. No one is questioning his ability to play goal. He's got 3-4 good years left (minus the year that's been burned due to the lockout but mostly due to playing backup). The problem has been and always will be the amount of years left on the contract. Luongo knows it, Gillis knows it, every other GM in the NHL knows it.

Who in their right mind will want to pay that contract or even worst have the contract count against the cap until the year 2022? Can you honestly say that if the tables were reversed and the Canucks were looking for help in goal, given the fact that you have two goalies that although they are unproven have been doing more than an adequate job during the regular season, you'd want the Canucks to make the trade?

Luongo said it himself yesterday that his contract is what is screwing him. Gillis can downplay it all he wants but blaming it on the emotions of a stressful day but it`s the truth.

If there is any team out there willing to even give one 7th round pick (assuming the NHL approves such a trade) for Luongo, Gillis should jump over it. The assets in return going to the Canucks would be valuable cap space and losing the distraction in the dressing room.

Here`s to hoping that Nonis passes on Luongo this summer and let`s Gillis suck on that contract until 2022.
- DefenceMinister

Eloquent and quite accurate IMO.

Ian Esplen: Closing Thoughts and Gameday
Closing Thoughts and Gameday
- IanEsplen

re: Goalies of the Future

How could you forget about Martin Brochu?

And perhaps Chrus Lavesque?

Who knows at this point. And honestly, it's pointless to discuss right now.
- Nucker101

It's also extremely tiresome after almost a year of speculation. He's a Canuck for the rest of this season at the very least. As for the other ifs, who gives a sh!t.

I thought Gillis should have offered Philly a Luongo & Raymond for Bryzgalov & Hartnell swap.
- DrChristianTroy

I'd be far more comfortable (if that's the word) with Lu in my net than Mr Universe. But for this season only, if we are rolling Schneider as the playoff starter, Hartnell over Raymond presents a hell of an upgrade and certainly would've increased our cup chances.

Mike Gillis has screwed this team, include AV in this too because he deserves some blame.

1. Schneider should of been traded long ago for their coveted top 6 need... right now they wouldn't still be looking for it. Luongo is proven, Schneider on a full sched is still unproven. Now they are forced to trade a less worthy asset for nothing.

2. Hodgson should've been female dog slapped by the coach and told to play regardless and not traded during the upcoming cup run against the Bruins for a less developed player. The trade opened a 3rd line centre hole and still left the top 6 hole because Kassian hasn't filled it.

3. Not signing Christian Ehrhoff and then looking for his replacement in Garrison and Ballard have been a huge journey that still isn't even there yet. Their transition game has been a nightmare for the Sedin line ever since this mistake happened.

These 3 problems right here cost the Canucks a cup in my belief and are pretty much gonna sink the team.