Vancouver Canucks Deserve Better from the NHL in 2016
By David Joun
#3 Goaltending Hotspot
What’s with Vancouver and goaltenders? The NHL can’t possibly have more of these tantalizing goaltending controversies, can they? Lack vs. Markstrom, Lack vs. Miller, Luongo vs. Markstrom?
Related: Statistically Speaking: Markstrom Near-Elite
Alright, I have to say that Eddie Lack was just a bit too loved and too overrated, playing under some good defensive coverage. But what’s with Jacob Markstrom posting a .922 save percentage through 18 games? Just c’mon. Give us a bona-fide number one netminder without a number “1.5” backup to “worry” about. I think we’ve done that for the past five years now, save a handful months here and there.
More from Canucks News
- Canucks are in “wash, rinse, repeat” mode after Monday’s 5-1 loss
- Canucks send Jack Rathbone and Vasily Podkolzin down to Abbotsford
- Canucks acquire Ethan Bear, Lane Pederson from Carolina
- Brock Boeser, Curtis Lazar placed on injury reserve
- Canucks officially unveil Reverse Retro jersey in latest aesthetic change
Just as Kesler, Bieksa, and Kassian are going to be received with a flurry of emotions, you already saw what kind of reception Roberto Luongo and Lack got. Luongo in Vancouver was a throw-back to the good ol’ days of brawlin’ Vancouver-Boston days, and Lack may have inserted life into these now-surging Canucks. Don’t forget the Bo Horvat–Cory Schneider swap. Forever etched in my bones.
The Canucks create the most polarizing goaltending headlines out of guys (cynically speaking) who just lay their bodies down in front of pucks. The NHL’s got to respect that and the work that Rollie Melanson has put to breeding bona-fide NHL-netminders in Vancouver.
And you know, the Canucks caused a league-wide shift in the geographics of goaltending.
In the days of Bobby Luo in Vancouver, Carey Price and Henrik Lundquivst were the only elite netminders of the East Coast. Throw in Ryan Miller and Tim Thomas as “near-elites”, if you will. In those days, the West had complete netminding dominance. The elites of the West included Luongo, Schneider, Jonathan Quick, and Pekka Rinne. Add Mikka Kiprusoff and Antti Niemi to the list of almost-elites, if you will.
But now, look at the goaltending scope of the league.
The NHL needs to thank Vancouver for reviving the Eastern Coference goaltending.
Luongo and Schneider have sinced moved to the East, Kippy retired, and Niemi has regressed significantly. Sure Miller regressed and came to Vancouver, but see the rise of Braden Holtby and Ben Bishop. Oh, how has Vancouver changed the balance of netminders in the league.
There has been a disturbance in the… league. Have you felt it?
Next: NHL needs to Thank and Apologize to the Sedins