I think Lack would reasonably expect to spend a year or so as back-up. Every new goalie does. If Lack ends up taking Luongo's job, there is nothing that can be done about it. The coach will play whoever is hot. I would like to see the two goaltenders work together for a while. Having two excellent goalies who can spell each other off has to be a good situation for the team. As long as Gillis can restrain himself from signing Lack to a twenty year, gazillion dollar contract like he did with Luongo
from our vantage point, a two goalie, equally sharing the net seems like the perfect situation, but from
the players side it isn't, because that is their goal from the onset, to become 'a number one goalie', and
when the backup begins to take on as much work as the starter, it takes away from that place where
the #1 has reached, and the balance is 'off', as 'they' want to play as a #1 with a dependable backup.
a good example of that right now is 'new jersey', where schneider and brodeur are sharing, but as soon
as one of them faulters slightly then the other one gets more games. for the first time that I can
remember schneider went to the management and complained, as he wasn't playing as much as he felt he
should, 'so', that creates friction in the dressing room.
its easy for us to say, so what, if they don't play great, take him out and play the other guy, but
sometimes it just doesn't work that way, as, if the #1 plays about 80 to 85% of the games, he is
feeling good, feeling secure and will play his best, 'not' when they are scrambling all over each
other, fighting for the next game.
as soon as luongo has a couple of games where he isn't pleasing us the way we want, then we all start
saying that lack should get the games, not luongo.
the perfect picture is having a dependable #1 and a dependable back-up, who will not be a #1, and is
a career back-up, as they are satisfied with their role, don't really want the #1 spot, and the #1 guy
knows that is the plan, he is also more relaxed and will play better.
I think, and hope that lack becomes canuck's #1, but not in the middle of the season.
luongo is in the twilight of his career, past his prime, but still able to perform well. it will be
interesting to see how things go at the 'olympics', as of now, luongo is the man, and price and smith
will challenge him for the starting position. if things don't go well for luongo at the olympics, just
as happened with brodeur last olympics, then his price tag and any demand for his services from other
teams will fade away, and gillis will still be 'stuck' with that contract for a while yet, and i don't
believe they will buy him out because the price is far too high.
stupid contract, even luongo said his contract sucks, and he would tear it up if he could.
i just want to add, if luongo stumbles, and loses his #1 status during the
season, and ends up sitting as the backup for the remainder, or most of the
rest of the season, it is rather pitiful, seeing him, (or any other #1
guy being overshadowed by the backup), I just wish better than that for
him this season.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
the following is actually what i logged in last time to say, then rambled on about luongo and forgot.
news out of the 'board of governors' meeting at pebble beach.
there are about 5 teams in the nhl who are the have-nots, bottom feeders, and with the revenue sharing
agreement 'per season', they are given approx. $47 million to keep them alive and above water.
that amount drops as the teams don't lose as much as the above, until they come to the teams who
break even, then into the teams that include the canucks 'who' provide that money each season,
as well as having to pay their 'escrow' to the nhl as well.
so when we see those tickets for $7.00 or whatever some of those 'bottom' teams charge, we must
remember that the ticket buyers for canucks are providing those teams with money to make those
ticket prices much more in reality, even though 'their' patrons don't pay it.
