CHB TV Episode 1: The Canucks’ Rough First Week

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Oct 152011
 

In the first episode of our new video podcast, Matt Lee, Chris Golden and Clay Imoo talk about the first week of the Canucks’ 2011/2012 season. Topics include: Roberto Luongo’s and the defense’s poor play, and Cody Hodgson’s good start.

  • OH YAH

    Is it all Luongo’s fault? No. But when you’re paid like the best player on your team, you had better play like the best player on your team and Luongo hasn’t done that.  I, for one, am sick and tired of the bad October/slow starter excuses.  You especially don’t get any special dispensations when you’re making $6.7M this year.  You come ready out of the gate!  This song and dance (with the “occasional” ill-timed belly flop) is really starting to wear thin on me.

  • http://www.leftcoastbydesign.ca/ Chris (@lyteforce)

    That’s the thing – Louie hasn’t even made it to the gate.  It seems he never sees more than 1 or 2 games a preseason and then requires a few in the month of October to get his groove on.  Is that his issue?  Maybe, but I’d bet he wants to be in more games and it’s the coaches and/or GM that think keeping him out is best.  Doesn’t matter how much you’re making – if you don’t get the practice/warm-up in.. you likely won’t play well.

  • OH YAH

    Well what about all those Octobers when he did play all the pre-season games?  He still shit the bed then too.  The slow-starter excuse is just lame considering how much he is compensated.  My point is: you come ready to play at all times because it’s your job.  The fans want results, not excuses.  I’m sure he’ll post another 30+ win season, but that’s not the point.  He should be focused on his job from start to finish.  Enough said.

  • http://www.leftcoastbydesign.ca/ Chris (@lyteforce)

    When has there been a preseason where Luongo has played more than 2 or 3 games?  I don’t recall one.  I’ll agree there have been seasons where he has started a significant number of games in October once the regular season has started, but if there’s anything that Louie has shown us is that he’s damn well consistent – his standard of play picks up after he gets past the first month.

    Is this acceptable?  I don’t think you’d find anyone whose okay with substandard play for the first month of the season.  I simply stated that it’s more than just the player at fault here.  And to simply feel that he can “show up ready” is asinine – if it were really that easy, we wouldn’t see much of a preseason in the league at all.  Even in the shape players are in now compared to days old, the preseason is still needed to physically and mentally prepare all players for the rigours of regular season.

  • OH YAH

    Lundqvist sure looked ready, didn’t he? And he only played 2 preseason games too.  He showed up ready to play because that’s what he’s PAID TO DO. Oh, and he faced twice as many shots as Luongo did tonight too.  When you’re paid to make big saves and you aren’t making them, the natives absolutely have a right to get restless.

  • http://www.leftcoastbydesign.ca/ Chris (@lyteforce)

    I’m not trying to change your mind Justin.  You’re entitled to your opinion as much as I’m entitled to mine.  No matter what I can find to support my side of the equation, I will guarantee you’ll find something to rebuke it.  And that’s okay.

    Did Lundqvist look out of this world tonight?  Damn straight.  Did Luongo look average at best tonight?  Damn straight.  Yet you bring up a fantastic point – let’s say Luongo makes that big save on the 1st goal – do the Canucks answer back?  I don’t believe they do the way Lundqvist was playing.  How about the 2nd goal?  Again.. same problem.  

    The pendulum swings both ways and there is no way that you can blame Luongo for tonight’s result if blame doesn’t rest with the remainder of the Canucks to players.  The Rangers capitalized on what few chances they had.  The Canucks couldn’t on the many they received.

    I say we agree to disagree and move on.