Archive for the ‘Roberto Luongo’ Category

Thoughts on 30 Thoughts: NHL lockout enters crucial week, Luongo and more

Posted by Justin Bourne under 10 Thoughts, CBA, Roberto Luongo on Oct 23, 2012

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“Thoughts on 30 Thoughts” is a feature that looks at Elliotte Friedman’s terrific weekly post “30 Thoughts.” Justin Bourne selects his 10 favourite tidbits, and elaborates.

It’s been awhile since we’ve had a new “30 Thoughts” article from Elliotte Friedman, but yesterday he gifted one to the world. He covered the obvious stuff – lockout progress – but also the Roberto Luongo situation, NHLers in the AHL and more. Let’s dive in.

Last edition: Zach Parise ran the show in free agency

Friedman’s column, October 22nd: NHL lockout enters crucial week

Opening:

Elliotte crunches the numbers in the opening and breaks down just how quickly the league and PA would have to tidy up loose ends for there to be a full 82 game season. Bettman has made it pretty clear that his personal deadline for that is Thursday (the 25th), but Friedman figures there’s a handful of days wiggle room there, especially if the League torches the All-Star Game:

The now-vapourized NHL schedule ran from October 11 until April 13. That’s 185 days. If you cancel the All-Star Game (and you have to believe that’s likely), the league only needs 180 days, because that’s a five-day break.

I had to include that paragraph, because I love imagining the long, thoughtful debate about cancelling the ASG game – in Columbus, a team with almost zero all-stars – or not. I picture “The Bob’s” talking about it like they talked about Tom Smykowski in Office Space. “He’s gone.” “Useless.” Read the rest of this entry »

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Is that Roberto Luongo deal close to happening? (sounds like it isn’t)

Posted by Cam Charron under Analysis, Roberto Luongo, Vancouver Canucks on Sep 07, 2012

Vancouver Canucks’ general manager Mike Gillis went on the air late last night with David Pratt on Vancouver’s CKNW 980, and said a few fun things in regards to the eventual Roberto Luongo trade.

To set the stage, coach Alain Vigneault gave the start to the 1b Cory Schneider for Game Three of the Canucks’ series against the Los Angeles Kings. In Luongo’s exit interview after the Canucks’ lost out in the series in five games to Los Angeles, Luongo reportedly asked for a trade if he would be the backup. The draft and free agency both came and went with no movement, Luongo told an FM station in Vancouver that it was “time to move on” and rumours surfaced about interest from the Chicago Blackhawks in Luongo, and rumours surfaced about Luongo’s interest in the Florida Panthers.

So there’s a lot to clear up. This hasn’t been an easy process for Luongo, who seems to be wrapped around by Gillis, who admitted to Pratt that he’s had offers on the table the team has discussed, but there doesn’t seem to be much of a flow of information between the two sides. As Jason Botchford wrote in the Vancouver Province the other day:

He doesn’t want to be a Canuck. The Canucks don’t want him to be a Canuck. But here he is in September, and he’s still a Canuck.

That, as he explained to the South Florida Sun Sentinel, has been, at times, rough, tough and stressful. It’d nice if his clouded future would clear up. Nicer still, if, when it does, he’s still in Florida.

Doesn’t sound like Florida is too interested in Luongo however:

So perhaps they haven’t given Vancouver a delectable offer yet. Contrariwise, Gillis gave Vancouver fans and media people an overcooked steak on the radio yesterday that’s something we can chew on for days and days.

Read the rest of this entry »

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