After having the worst season since his rookie year statistically, the big question in Vancouver is "Can Luongo lead this team to a Stanley Cup?". The real question, in my view, is why he had such a bad year in the first place. Last season his goalie coach was on a part time basis, so much so that when you heard Ian Clark was in town helping Luongo, you knew he was going to be the Luongo the Canucks expect - a brick wall. With a new full time goalie coach, Luongo should have a more consistant year at the very least.
The single biggest reason for his statistical drop? The style the Canucks play, and the lack of quality defensemen (due to injury) allowed high quality shots to get through to Luongo, resulting in more goals scored. Combine this with a lack of consistancy due to a part time goalie coach and I think it's obvious why he seemed to struggle from time to time last season. The re-tooled defense should help, not because of skill (honestly I do believe Mitchell and Salo are more talented than Hamhuis and Ballard), but because of durability. Statistically, Luongo has a trend. Here are his career stats:
YEAR TEA GP GS MIN W L T OL GA GAA SA SV SV% SO
99/00 NYI 24 20 1292 7 14 1 0 70 3.25 730 660 .904 1
00/01 FLA 47 41 2628 12 24 7 0 107 2.44 1333 1226 .920 5
01/02 FLA 58 56 3030 16 33 4 0 140 2.77 1653 1513 .915 4
02/03 FLA 65 61 3627 20 34 7 0 164 2.71 2011 1847 .918 6
03/04 FLA 72 72 4252 25 33 14 0 172 2.43 2475 2303 .931 7
05/06 FLA 75 73 4305 35 30 0 9 213 2.97 2488 2275 .914 4
06/07 VAN 76 75 4490 47 22 0 6 171 2.28 2169 1998 .921 5
07/08 VAN 73 73 4233 35 29 0 9 168 2.38 2029 1861 .917 6
08/09 VAN 54 54 3181 33 13 0 7 124 2.34 1542 1418 .920 9
09/10 VAN 68 67 3899 40 22 0 4 167 2.57 1915 1748 .913 4
CAREER 612 592 34937 270 254 33 35 1496 2.57 18345 16849 .918 51
He's only had 2 consecutive years where his stats rose, from 2002-2003 through 2003-2004. He trends from high, to low, back to high, etc. Last year was a trend down year, history tells us this year will be his 'up' year. All that matters will be his performance in the playoffs in the end, but if he has a strong season, one would hope that it would carry over to the playoffs.
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Monday, September 6, 2010
Sunday, September 5, 2010
Christian Ehrhoff & Alex Edler
Could Vancouver end up with 2 #1 D-men by next year? I'm not expecting it, but I did not expect Ehrhoff to come in and perform the way he did.
At times, he legitimately looked like he was a #1 defensemen last season. I'll be interested to see if he can maintain that level of play next year. I'm thinking he can, although improvement from last year I think is expecting too much. He's a great skater with tremendous offensive vision, if he can pull his defensive game to the next level I don't see how anyone could say he's not a #1 d-man. I suppose if he brought his offensive game to yet another level, he could be considered a #1 as well, ala Dan Boyle or Mike Green. As it stands now, 9th in Norris voting, 3rd among defensemen in +/- with a +36, first among Canucks d-men with a TOI average of 22:47/game, and 1st among Canucks d-men in points with 44 points (13th overall amongst d-men).
Alex Edler made some real strides in the playoffs this past season, showing that he could use his body to make defensive plays and be effective. He was dynamite against the LA Kings and looked like he could be a #1 defender, especially when he played physical. He idolized Mattius Ohlund and adapted a bit of Ohlund's style, but he seemed to have left the physical aspect Ohlund has back in Sweden. If he is anything like Ohlund, he'll be a dependable, durable, solid defenseman in the NHL for years to come. I'm really hoping he takes the next step this year, but at the same time, we've been waiting for that next step for a few years now. I feel he's been a bit of the victim of expectations, he's a young D-man (24) and defensemen tend to be late bloomers, but if he doesn't take that next step soon I fear he'll be nothing more than a #3-4 d-man. Not that being a #3-4 is terrible of course, but Vancouver's swimming in that type of D-man currently.
Right now, it's wishful thinking on my part for Vancouver to have 2 #1 d-men by the end of this coming season. Stranger things have happened so I cannot rule it out (can anyone sit there and tell me they thought Hank Sedin would win the Art Ross and Hart Trophy? Ever?), but chances are, not gonna happen. I do feel that if any d-man makes the transition to a #1 defender, it'll be Ehrhoff, not Edler. Ehrhoff's entering his prime now and poised to lead the offensive charge in Vancouver. With the additions of Dan Hamhuis and Keith Ballard, I don't expect Edler to be relied on as much and that could impact his game, possibly for the better, possibly for the worst.
It'll be interesting to see how things unfold with these two defenders.
At times, he legitimately looked like he was a #1 defensemen last season. I'll be interested to see if he can maintain that level of play next year. I'm thinking he can, although improvement from last year I think is expecting too much. He's a great skater with tremendous offensive vision, if he can pull his defensive game to the next level I don't see how anyone could say he's not a #1 d-man. I suppose if he brought his offensive game to yet another level, he could be considered a #1 as well, ala Dan Boyle or Mike Green. As it stands now, 9th in Norris voting, 3rd among defensemen in +/- with a +36, first among Canucks d-men with a TOI average of 22:47/game, and 1st among Canucks d-men in points with 44 points (13th overall amongst d-men).
Alex Edler made some real strides in the playoffs this past season, showing that he could use his body to make defensive plays and be effective. He was dynamite against the LA Kings and looked like he could be a #1 defender, especially when he played physical. He idolized Mattius Ohlund and adapted a bit of Ohlund's style, but he seemed to have left the physical aspect Ohlund has back in Sweden. If he is anything like Ohlund, he'll be a dependable, durable, solid defenseman in the NHL for years to come. I'm really hoping he takes the next step this year, but at the same time, we've been waiting for that next step for a few years now. I feel he's been a bit of the victim of expectations, he's a young D-man (24) and defensemen tend to be late bloomers, but if he doesn't take that next step soon I fear he'll be nothing more than a #3-4 d-man. Not that being a #3-4 is terrible of course, but Vancouver's swimming in that type of D-man currently.
Right now, it's wishful thinking on my part for Vancouver to have 2 #1 d-men by the end of this coming season. Stranger things have happened so I cannot rule it out (can anyone sit there and tell me they thought Hank Sedin would win the Art Ross and Hart Trophy? Ever?), but chances are, not gonna happen. I do feel that if any d-man makes the transition to a #1 defender, it'll be Ehrhoff, not Edler. Ehrhoff's entering his prime now and poised to lead the offensive charge in Vancouver. With the additions of Dan Hamhuis and Keith Ballard, I don't expect Edler to be relied on as much and that could impact his game, possibly for the better, possibly for the worst.
It'll be interesting to see how things unfold with these two defenders.
Saturday, September 4, 2010
Is ThisThe Year?
On the eve of the start of the 2010-2011 season, it's become clear to me that expectations have never been higher for the Canucks. As fans anticipate the start of the regular season, I find myself in awe of the media hype surrounding this year's edition of cup hopefuls. But perhaps this time, they truly are cup contenders and not mislabelled pretenders.
Up until 2 years ago, I'd expect a Canucks squad to bow out in the first round. Get upset by a lower seeded team. Listen to the excuses. Wait for the coming year. "Next year will be the year!". Now however, the winds have changed in Vancouver. New management with a 'moneypuck' vision - a history within the NHL first as a player, then as an agent, and now as a mastermind in the ultimate puzzle that is managing a stanley cup contending team within the constraints of a salary cap. So far Mike Gillis has fared well, and Canuck fans might be looking at the best team the organisation has ever iced in it's 40 year history. But is it good enough to beat the reigning champion Chicago Blackhawks, the team that's ended Vancouver's cup hopes 2 years in a row?
Time will tell... but perhaps for good luck I'll try a different method. Maybe I'll wear my sweater for home games, and my jersey for away games.
Up until 2 years ago, I'd expect a Canucks squad to bow out in the first round. Get upset by a lower seeded team. Listen to the excuses. Wait for the coming year. "Next year will be the year!". Now however, the winds have changed in Vancouver. New management with a 'moneypuck' vision - a history within the NHL first as a player, then as an agent, and now as a mastermind in the ultimate puzzle that is managing a stanley cup contending team within the constraints of a salary cap. So far Mike Gillis has fared well, and Canuck fans might be looking at the best team the organisation has ever iced in it's 40 year history. But is it good enough to beat the reigning champion Chicago Blackhawks, the team that's ended Vancouver's cup hopes 2 years in a row?
Time will tell... but perhaps for good luck I'll try a different method. Maybe I'll wear my sweater for home games, and my jersey for away games.
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