Vigneault Calls Our Luongo

[AtLossForWords]

http://tsn.ca/nhl/news_story/?ID=227953&hubname=

We all know Vigneault isn't gun shy when it comes to speaking out about the performance of his players.

The reason why I posted this is because I'm interested in what you guys who have read it have to say about Vignault calling out specifically Luongo of late.

I think there is a lot of faces on this team who deserve a public ridicule more than Roberto Luongo. Markus Naslund, Matt Cooke, Sami Salo as the three most underachieving players on this team.

Other than Jason Jaffray against the Islanders, does anyone remeber the last goal by Markus Naslund assisted by someone not from Ornskoldvic, Sweden?

How many goals will Sami Salo have to score in the second half to match last year's career high or just his career average?

What about Matt Cooke? Why hasn't he been able to find the net regularly like any other recognized third liner since Marc Crawford dipped out?

Roberto Luongo is not the problem this team needs to fix. He has been solid in every game lately exculding the LA game and was the only reason this team was able to snatch a point from Detroit. After the all-star break and this **** with his wife blows over it will be business as usual. For Roberto I'll cut a break, for anyone else who's underachieved lately, I won't.

[gordphish]

Yeah, I don't like this either. I mean, you have a team where if the goalie gives up more than 2 goals in game you have very little chance of winning, and you're blaming the goaltender? After this guy has carried this team on his back the last season and a half?

I know V thinks he can appeal to Luongo's pride and knows his team only goes as far as Luongo takes them, but this is just dumb and unneccessary. They've had almost 40 shots in the last two first periods at home and didn't one goal. What does that tell you?

Yes, you want your team to work hard. But a coach can't just overlook a player's shortcomings just because he works hard for him. Salo should be benched tonight IMO. Cooke, what can you say? If you are depending on him to provide you your secondary scoring, you have bigger worries than his lack of finish. And Naslund, the only other option left to them is to bring in a linemate that will hopefully make Nazzy happy to play with and will boost his scoring. And that isn't in the coaches hands, so...

But I'm slowly losing my faith in Vigneault this year. I'm not sure I like his over-exuberence for third and fourth line grinders, nor do I appreciate the way he's handling most of the players right now. His vets are underachieving, and he doesn't seem to have the patience for their prospects that they need if they are going to be a team that builds through the draft.

[Nelson19777]

Yea, I can cut him a break. And yea he's not the only one that needs the finger pointed at, but lately he hasn't been himself. Even he has admitted it. He's let in a few bad ones lately. Would we have won those games? It's hard to say, cause the team hasn't been scoring alot either.

Spread the blame to all, including Roberto. I do know one thing, it's time to stop the mid-season slide.

[TimmyTabasco]

But I'm slowly losing my faith in Vigneault this year

Didn't take you long

Give him a break. I don't agree with him calling out Luongo, but look how it affected Mitchell..

You guys wanted a coach to call out the star players, and now complain when he does just that

[AtLossForWords]

My point is Timmy why waste your time calling out your star who has been your biggest contributor? If you want to point the finger at guys who have underachieved, how about the three guys who have underachieved the most, Cooke, Naslund, and Salo?

I think Luongo having a child on the way with a break to see his fiance in Florida has distracted him a bit. I think once the break is over, it will be back to business as usual. It might help his sore ribs too.

[TimmyTabasco]

Lossy,

Yeah, I see what your saying..

Anyway, why call out Cooke? He's not really part of the core..

He's not scoring, but he's hitting..

Vino has called out Salo, and Naslund..numerous times

But anyway, I read the province article, and didn't find it too bad..

[gordphish]

Didn't take you long

Give him a break. I don't agree with him calling out Luongo, but look how it affected Mitchell..

You guys wanted a coach to call out the star players, and now complain when he does just that

When did I say that? I didn't want Crow fired, remember?

Take a close look at the play of his veteren players this year, Saucey. None of them are where they can be at.

Maybe this is the year they peak at the right time and play their best hockey in the spring. Or maybe Vigneault's message is already getting lost on them.

And again, I have no problem with him making people accountable. But even if Luongo's play has slipped a bit as of late, this team's inabilty to finish is at the very least as much of a reason they've hit this funk as Luongo's play of late. And I have no problem with using the media to get your message across from time to time, but not when it comes to your franchise player, who has carried this team on his back the last season and a half and obviously has a very real off-ice distraction right now. If he had something to say to Luongo, he should have said it in private and left it there.

What he should said in response to the media is that Luongo has carried them often enough in his short time here and it's about time guys like Naslund, Ohlund, Salo and Cooke returned the favour.

[AtLossForWords]

Gordo, I agree with you on Naslund, Salo, and Cooke. However I don't think anything needs to be said about Mattias Ohlund.

I think this season Ohlund has shown why he's stuck on this team for so long. He's their number one guy at both ends of the ice. He plays strong in front of his net, he plays smart rarely ending up in the penalty box, and he isn't a one dimensional player in the offensive zone. Ohlund can unleash a big slapshot (even if I can run upstairs and open up a beer before his windup releases), but he can also walk below the hashmarks and score, and what is most impressive is when he does that he doesn't get caught for odd man rushes. He is a smart hockey player.

How many times have you guys seen Salo shoot a puck from below the hashmarks? How many of Salo's shots have hit the net this season?

With Mattias Ohlund back in the lineup our special teams should be alot better. Especially if he can get Aaron Miller off the penalty kill.

[gordphish]

Gordo, I agree with you on Naslund, Salo, and Cooke. However I don't think anything needs to be said about Mattias Ohlund.

I think this season Ohlund has shown why he's stuck on this team for so long. He's their number one guy at both ends of the ice. He plays strong in front of his net, he plays smart rarely ending up in the penalty box, and he isn't a one dimensional player in the offensive zone. Ohlund can unleash a big slapshot (even if I can run upstairs and open up a beer before his windup releases), but he can also walk below the hashmarks and score, and what is most impressive is when he does that he doesn't get caught for odd man rushes. He is a smart hockey player.

How many times have you guys seen Salo shoot a puck from below the hashmarks? How many of Salo's shots have hit the net this season?

With Mattias Ohlund back in the lineup our special teams should be alot better. Especially if he can get Aaron Miller off the penalty kill.

Look at the Ohlund before his slash on Koivu. That's the Ohlund that could be making 6 to 7 million is this league with a few Norris nominations in is back pocket. Since then, he's been back to his average self that we've seen since the lockout. No more riding guys off the puck and into the boards, no more nastiness or thundering checks, and our special teams suck, even with him in the lineup. He is underachieving this year as much as anyone.