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After four seasons as a Vancouver Canuck, it is obvious that Roberto Luongo is not the best goalie in the world.
That C on his mask?
It doesn’t stand for captain. It means chaos and capitulation. That’s what we saw in the crease on Tuesday and for much of the Canucks’ latest futile playoff run.
The $7 million netminder with the fail whale on his chest offered a stink-in-rink performance.
Yet he begins to collect a $3 million raise next fall from a franchise that has failed to deliver its fans a Stanley Cup after 39 seasons.
Luongo had the tenacity to say “improvement was made” because he allowed two fewer goals in the Canucks’ 2010 elimination game compared with exactly a year earlier.
Such an insult to the thousands of fans who spend millions of dollars on Canucks’ tickets and trinkets or watch on TV because they can afford neither!
Luongo has the rest of spring, all of summer and some of fall to think about it before he gets a chance for redemption. Until then, he remains another name in the long list of Canucks’ goaltenders who failed to backstop the team into the conference finals, including Felix Potvin, Kevin Weekes and Dan Cloutier.
Three things must happen for Luongo to have any chance to match or surpass the class and heroism of Richard Brodeur or Kirk McLean, who carried the Canucks into their only Stanley Cup final appearances.
Play fewer regular season games: By virtue of being the marquee player, he is compelled to play all home games, all pay-per-view road games and then some. Hey Alain Vigneault, cap it at 62 for Bobby Lu!
Hire a full-time goaltending coach, sports psychologist or mentor: If Ian Clark doesn’t want a promotion from goaltending consultant, find someone who wants the job. Luongo has the skills but not the mentality to make himself invincible.
And, of course, erase that silly C from his mask and give it to someone who can use it.
A captain is expected to play all games, liaise with officials at centre ice, lead the team at both ends of the rink and offer advice to teammates at the bench. All of which Luongo is unable to do.