Canucks Roster Depth: Goaltending

"Dude, have you tried that blue meth that Heisenberg cooked up?! IT’S SO AWESOME!"
"Um, Roberto. You need to calm the hell down immediately, before you allow 8 goals against Boston."
(Photo by Jeff Vinnick, NHLI Via Getty Images Files)

Canucks Army continues a series where we look at the depth at each position for the Vancouver Canucks.

In our fourth installment of our series, we look at the Canucks depth at GOALTENDING.

The city of Vancouver and the Canucks hockey club has been a goalie graveyard for most of the 40 years that the Canucks have been in the NHL. However, since they acquired Roberto Luongo in a summer blockuster trade in 2006, the Canucks have had a legitimate #1 goaltender and have since grown and developed their depth players. Now the Canucks have a very enviable tandem in net and improving depth in the minors.

Will the Jennings winning pair of Luongo and Schneider have another sparkling season? Or will the loss in the Stanley Cup Final offer some lingering effects?

Is there a professional athlete that has been more maligned in Vancouver than Roberto Luongo? No. No, there hasn’t. But let’s face it, Luongo is a superstar goalie and the best goalie that this team has ever had… by a mile. Maybe the collective group of Canucks fans as a generalized whole will never fully get behind Luongo, despite all the evidence telling them that he’s an elite goaltender and a playoff performer. There is nothing more he can do this coming season to improve himself. He has done what he needs to do. However, it is likely that Luongo will play slightly less than last year, giving him some rest before the playoffs start. So the overall stats won’t be setting any franchise records, his average stats (GAA, Save Pct.) could once again see new career bests.

Interesting Stat from 2010-11: Roberto Luongo was SPARKLING on Mondays. He was 6-1 in 7 GP with a 1.43 GAA and a .954 Sv%.

Schneider finally hit the big time last season, putting up some impressive numbers in relief of Luongo. in 25 GP, the Boston-area native was 16-4-2 with 2.23 GAA and .929 Sv%. He also showed that he could play in the playoffs, with a 2.58 GAA and a .915 Sv%. This coming season, Schneider will be expected to play a little more than last year, like playing upwards of 30 games. The question will be … how many of those will be with the Vancouver Canucks? With Luongo signed in Vancouver until the end of time, the writing is on the wall for Schneider’s time with the Canucks. He’s a valuable trading chip and the Canucks may be in the market for a final piece to their playoff puzzle as the trade deadline approaches.

Interesting Stat from 2010-11: October and Tuesdays were very kind to Schneider. In his 3 GP in October, Schneider went 2-0 with a 0.86 GAA and a .968 Sv%. On Tuesdays, Schneider played 4 games, went 2-0 with a .967 GAA and 0.86 Sv%.

Lack made the leap from Europe to North America last season, playing in his first professional season in the colonies last year. More importantly, Lack was impressive in his first year in the AHL, going 28-21-4 with a 2.26 GAA and a .926 Sv%. His stats were even better in the AHL’s Calder Cup playoffs, with a 1.99 GAA and a .932 Sv%. This season, Lack could very likely make his NHL debut for the Vancouver Canucks, if either Luongo or Schneider are injured, or Schneider is traded before the trade deadline (as many are anticipating). Either way, there is a good chance that Lack will get called up, and there is a small chance that he will see the ice. If Schneider is indeed traded, will the Canucks make Lack the backup to Luongo for the next couple of years? Or will Lack, like Schneider, prove his worth and be more valuable as trade fodder? If it’s not this year, it’s almost assured to happen next year.

Interesting Stat from 2010-11: The most shots the Lack faced in a single game last season was 43. It happened twice and Lack and the Moose lost both games.

Matt Climie had similar stats to Eddie Lack last season, as Climie played most of the season with the San Antonio Rampage of the AHL. Climie finished the regular season with 55GP and a record of 26-22-3 with a 2.64 GAA, 3 SO, and a .913 Sv%. Climie was also involved in a single NHL game last season with the Phoenix Coyotes (@ PIT). Coming in to the game in relief of a shellacked Jason Labarbera, Climie played 32:24, allowing a single goal for a 1.88 GAA and a .938 Sv%. Climie is very unlikely to see any NHL time next season, but will be expected to split top duties in the AHL with the Wolves with Lack, especially if Lack is called to the Canucks.

Interesting Stat from 2010-11: The only goal that Climie allowed came at the hands of Chris Conners.