Welcome everyone to my article space, today I am going to flip a coin, heads, I will talk about a goalie controversy in Vancouver, tails, I will just ramble on about nothing. Hold on let me flip it. Okay just flipped it and it landed on heads! Well it looks like I will be talking about a goalie controversy today, and then printing up my resume to be the next Canucks head coach.
Yes that’s right, for four straight starts and four straight press conferences, Canucks coach Alain Vigneault flipped a coin to choose who the next starter would be for each game, and each toss was won by Roberto Luongo. One may think did he have a double head coin just like Harvey Dent did in the Dark Knight? Did Alain Vigneault choose his own luck? Ok, maybe that’s a stretch and maybe causing more drama, my bad, but you get the point.
For four straight games backup goaltender Roberto Luongo was put in net and went 3-0-1 over that stretch. BUT wait! Mike Gillis is also trying to trade the hot goalie which is currently described by Vigneault as “the guy who gives our team the best chance to win.” Ouch. That must hurt hey Cory? Oh and you know what’s even better, Luongo has the benefit of both heads and tails according to Vigneault, well that’s not fair Alain! You’re cheating now!
So is it logical to ask if Vigneault has any other tricks up his sleeve if he’s trying to be the next Criss Angel? But on a serious note, why is the GM trying to trade the goalie that the coach says is the best for the team right now? Yeah, who knows?
(Photograph by: Rich Lam , Getty Images)
It really is a unique situation that the Canucks are a part of, not something you see every day. It’s not like it’s normal that you see a goalie two seasons into a multi-year, $64-million dollar contract gets canned as the starter, agrees that it’s time to part ways, then nine months later is not only still on the same team but playing ahead of the guy who was supposed to replace him. Yep that’s normal.
Oh and what’s even better? The coin tossing hasn’t stopped. Coach V flipped the coin again and this time landed on Schneider! WINNER WINNER CHICKEN DINNER! The Ginger Sensation will get a chance to start. But no one should see this as a surprise. Luongo hasn’t had a great record in Minny and it would be best if Schneider took the reins of the crease for one game and maybe shut the lights out and proved he’s a starter.
All I am saying is someone really needs to figure out who the real number one goalie is in Vancouver. Enough of the coin tossing, enough of mind games, pick one and stick with it. Stop fueling the rumor mill Alain, one day Luongo is on his way out to Washington, the next day he’s staying. Which is it? Although both players have been world class through this situation, one of them is going to crack and demand a trade, don’t promise one goalie before the season he will start, and then start your backup goaltender four times in a row and make your “starter” feel like he’s nothing and not even a part of the team. It’s not fair for either player, make your mind up and don’t make your mind up via a coin toss. Be real with your players.
Kevin Cawthra
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