Kukla's Korner Hockey
The Future Of Vancouver’s Goaltending
by Paul on 02/10/12 at 02:30 AM ET
Comments (0)
from Ed Willes of the Vancouver Province,
The decision over the future of the Vancouver Canucks’ goaltending position might be the most important of general manager Mike Gillis’s administration but, in analyzing things as they stand, there is one number that stands out for Roberto Luongo.
It is not the 10 years he has left on his contract. It’s not the $5.333 million US annual cap hit he represents. It’s not even the number of Stanley Cups he’s won.
No, those are all relevant in the great Vancouver goaltending debate but the most important number connected to Luongo is this: 21,743….
That number, in fact, represents the number of shots Luongo has faced in his 12-season NHL career. It is the third-highest total among current NHL goalies which isn’t overly alarming. But dig a little deeper and you begin to understand the Canucks may be confronting the law of diminishing returns with Luongo and, given what Cory Schneider represents, that creates a dilemma for Gillis….
The point is this: Unless Luongo is Brodeur, and there’s only been one of those since the lockout, the Canucks have to be concerned about the mileage he’s accumulated. He’s still an elite NHL goalie. His numbers have been stunningly consistent since he was traded here.
But what’s he going to look like two years down the road when he’s turning 35, especially if he doesn’t have Schneider around to lighten his load?
Filed in: NHL Teams, Vancouver Canucks | KK Hockey | Permalink
Comments
Be the first to comment.
Add a Comment
Please limit embedded image or media size to 575 pixels wide.
Add your own avatar by joining Kukla's Korner, or logging in and uploading one in your member control panel.
Captchas bug you? Join KK or log in and you won't have to bother.
Commenting is not available in this weblog entry.
Most Recent Blog Posts
Video- The Relationship Between Brodeur And Kovalchuk
Video- “Lof Of Good Guys In Hockey”
It Will Be The New Jersey Devils Against The Los Angeles Kings In The 2012 Stanley Cup Final
About KK Hockey
Paul Kukla founded Kukla’s Korner in 2005 and the site has since become the must-read site on the ‘net for all the latest happenings around the NHL.
From breaking news to in-depth stories around the league, KK Hockey is updated with fresh stories all day long and will bring you the latest news as quickly as possible.
Email Paul anytime at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Make extra cash while playing online poker. Rakeback is free and comes with rake races.
Kukla’s Korner is always a free service for readers, but it costs some money to maintain. If you’re ever in a position to donate a few dollars to help out, we’d be very appreciative.