I think the Flyers are only doing that out of necessity. I believe they signed Emery to be a cheap #1, with Boucher as the backup. Injuries have led them to their current state.

Thank you, Sean!

I’ve been doing my best to relay the same message since our bouncing care of a better team (at the time).

They talked about goalies playing less games during the season to stay fresh but you know, I’m not sure if I quite agree with that. Sure, it’s possible. But just because Brodeur, Fleury and Luongo have early playoff exits does not justify it. Brodeur has a couple cup rings to disprove that. So does/did Patrick Roy.

I think these decisions need to be made in context. Look at the race to make the playoffs each of the past few seasons. It has generally been a dogfight – to not only make the playoffs but to win the dvision and its benefits. Getting home ice for a round (at least), getting the more favourable matchup (in theory) and having the ability to matchup where necessary. Would fans rather that the team back into the playoffs a la Philly and Montreal and take their chances in the first round against the 1 and 2 seeds? i think not. The majority of the time, that 1 and 2 seed have a walk through the lower seed. This year is the exception, not the rule.

The best chance the Canucks had in making the playoffs as a higher seed was by playing Luongo. would Jason Labarbara have given Vancouver 15 wins in 25 starts? Andrew Raycroft? Please – he got bought out from the Leafs – THE LEAFS! Corey Schneider played pretty horribly in the majority of the games he started the past couple seasons. Their game plan (as I saw it) was to go with who gave them the best chance of winning, and the main player happens to be the leader of the team. As much as a fan wants to play arm chair GM, the decision rests with the executive and coaching, because they know a hell of a lot more than you or I (or you Gord McIntyre – you prick).

To me this is a flavor of the week conversation. If Brodeur had a better team in front of him and made the top 4 this conversation probably doesn’t happen. It just so happens that 3 of 4 teams THIS YEAR have goaltenders that played a lot less games than a Brodeur or Luongo played.

Exactly. Leighton was a cast off and not just once or twice. I think he was waived 4 times, claimed twice, and traded for pucks and stick tape. Neimi was not the plan in Chicago – why else was Huet signed to a $5M deal? Halak was not the anointed one in La Belle Provence – that honour was reserved for their number one pick (and World Jr sweetheart), Carey Price. The other thing that writers and fans fail to note in their rants and raves, is that these players are all going to be receiving sweetheart deals once their current contracts expire, and some sucker GM (Sather, Sutter, Tallon) is going to give them big dollars because they are ‘playoff performers’. Isn’t that how Huet got his big deal? and look how that worked out.

My point is this. In the heat of the moment, it is only human to look for something – anything – to explain away failure. But at some point, people have to put down the pipe and get real. Put on their professional hats, and take off the Canucks colours. Either that, or be banned from writing for major news dailies.

After all, we may all be Canucks, but we are not all idiots and morons.

In Vancouver too actually where I think Raycroft exceeded his incredibly low expectations. I would have been OK seeing him in there if Luongo had an injury.