CrashingTheGoalie

by Bill Heintz

So…anything happen today? Any news?

Well, unless you are living on the moon without an internet connection, you already know the news. And it’s big, folks. And the implications for this franchise will last far beyond the length of this new deal.

The good old interweb has been alive all week with the rumours of Big Bob’s signing. The fans could hardly wait…even the negative nannbies were happy because at last they would be able to harp over how much cap space Luongo was going to be taking up…screwing the Canuck fortunes for years to come. Must have been hard on them when they read that Luongo’s cap hit would be $5.33 over 12 years. Jesus on a bike!

Like I said, the implications for this franchise will last far beyond the length of time Roberto serves in Vancouver. What it means is that we have a good eight or nine years of legitimate cup aspirations. What it means is that even if the cap goes down, we are in decent shape. What it means is that Roberto himself believes that this is the team that gives him the best chance of winning.

What it means, I believe, is that we will win the Stanley cup (maybe more than once) in my lifetime.

I wasn’t always so sure of that, by the way. But the signing of the Sedins, the emergence of Kesler and Burrows, the solidification of the defense for the next few years and finally looking into the cupboard and finding that the pantry is well stocked with legitimate NHL prospects for years to come. Well, cue the sound of tears being wiped.

And for those of us that have suffered since 1970…and I know you are out there, cashing your pension cheques and gumming your poridge each morning…looking into our minor and pro system cupboards and seeing guys who could also be stars one day…well, hell, pass the brandy folks and light up a big one.

I find the nay-sayers amusing, to say the least. The same people who said that the Sedin signing would screw this team for the next five years are the same people that said Luongo would not re-up because if the deal was really there, it would already be done by July 15. Muy estupido.

Like The Big Lebowski says, the dude will abide.

Big deals take time. But of course the same negative nannies also point out that if Roberto sours on the Canucks, he could still pull a Heatley and demand a trade. Well, indeed that is possible.

But what do you think is more valuable here? Impending UFA Roberto being offered at the deadline for a few months of rental service…and then a re-signing at ten million a season? Or, a Roberto two three years into a 12 year contract , demanding a trade with nine years left at a cap hit of $5.33 million.

So yeah, even if the grand risk fails, Roberto is now worth a tonne and a half more to us today than he was yesterday.

Truth is, I have my own negative instincts at times, but not about the Canucks. We are in good hands with this leadership group.

No, the only real worry I have now is the NHLPA. I don’t know enough about Paul Kelly’s job performance to comment. But anytime I see the names Buzz Hargrove and Eric Lindros floating around the back room, I don’t have a lot of confidence that the good of the game is being discussed. Sure Eric had one good year, but it was never about the team with Eric. It was always just about Eric. And as for Buzz, well sure the guys at GM are making great salaries…well, the few left that actually have jobs.