Wednesday, December 26, 2007

Luongo's Pads

Here is an interesting article I found. Note it says 'Big change in store for goalies gear' AGAIN??

Province hockey reporter Jason Botchford blogs about the Vancouver Canucks, the NHL and more.

Luongo a cheater? Pad Flap

NHL goalie cop Kay Whitmore said it's no big deal and the consensus around Vancouver (no surprise there) is nearly unanimous that Roberto Luongo's pad flaps give him no edge.
It's worth noting that the same people often work themselves into a frenzy when Giguere's chest protector lifts off the shoulders because he tucks it in

He's a cheater. Or is he? Hasn't he just adapted the equipment to suit his style?

It's also worth noting that the Canucks reduced the size of Luongo's pad flaps. There seems to be some debate about when that happened but Whitmore said it was after he talked to them.
It's unclear why the Canucks would reduce the size of the flaps if the NHL didn't believe there was a problem with them.

If there is any advantage at all, it comes when Luongo is making saves on his knees. It's at least conceivable the flaps could keep out a sliding puck.

Turco made a point to say Luongo makes all his saves on his knees. But Turco is a goalie who built, branded and marketed his own specially designed pads which allow the five hole to close easier.

It's at least interesting that he, like Luongo and Giguere, adapted gear to suit his style.

Turco knew he'd get a big reaction and stir the hornet's nest. What he might not have known is that the Stars officially complained to the NHL last season right before the start of Game 1.
For me, that's the part that takes this story from fun side note to front page. It's evident in his reaction Luongo was not pleased by the Stars gamesmanship last spring.

Kelly Hrudey, on Team 1040 today, suggested big changes are in store in goalie's equipment before next year.

The plot thickens..

Here is the Luongo story:
The cheeky, mock protest Dallas goalies Marty Turco and Mike Smith orchestrated at Thursday's morning skate wasn't the first time the Stars have insinuated Roberto Luongo uses equipment that crosses the line.

The last time was less theatrical, but clearly more serious, and an apparent attempt to throw Luongo off his game before the biggest night of his hockey career.

Following the warm-ups before the first game of last year's Stanley Cup playoffs, the Stars made a complaint to the NHL regarding Luongo's knee flaps, two pieces of equipment which jet out from his leg pads.

No one was laughing then.

"It was one of their concerns after the pre-game skate," said Kay Whitmore, who is part of the NHL's "goalie police" department, ensuring all the equipment conforms to standards. "I went in and inspected them.

"It's just the way Roberto chooses to wear it. If we thought he was getting an unfair advantage having that protective flap sticking out the side then we would definitely do something about it. That's what we do here. We're watching every night. It hasn't been something that's really worried us to be honest."

Whitmore said Stars' former general manager Doug Armstrong called him just before the start of Luongo's first-ever playoff game to make Luongo's equipment an issue.After the NHL talked to the Canucks, Luongo's knee flaps were scaled back, Whitmore said."In the playoffs, after I talked to the Canucks' equipment managers, they cut the pads down just to make sure it wasn't sticking out," Whitmore said. "They made it smaller and now it comes that way from the factory. I don't have a problem with them. "I've approved them and I think they're fine."

The Stars playoff complaint, which can be seen as post-season gamesmanship, came to light for the first time Thursday after Turco and Smith took the ice at the morning skate. The pair were wearing ridiculous homemade cardboard flaps which stuck out of their knees. A "1" — which is Luongo's number — was written on each flap.

Luongo said Thursday's antics were all in good fun but when the conversation turned to the playoffs he became terse."It's not an issue and I don't want to talk about it anymore," Luongo said.

Both Stars' goalies made a joke about it, but also indicated they didn't think the pad flap was entirely a laughing matter.

"We need pads that are realistic and what's safe for the game," Turco told reporters, tongue-not-in-cheek, after the morning skate. "The (homemade flaps) were part comical, part serious. "I was really serious because I don't like the idea of larger nets.

We're looking at a few ways so we don't have to have larger nets."Smith, clearly joking to reporters, said this of his mock flaps: "I just had these sent in from the league. I don't know much about them, but I just heard they help stop the puck. I'll try them out ... It was pretty good today. Actually, I made a couple saves with those. I just might leave them on there."

What's comical, according to Whitmore, is the idea the flaps could help Luongo make a save."To be honest, do you really think you could stop a puck with what sticks out there?" Whitmore said. "It's a piece of foam that's there to protect the outside of the knee. "If Marty was real serious about it, I'm sure he'll give me a call."

The piece of equipment is on RBK pads. There's a strap on the back of the knee that pulls it in. But Luongo's are not pulled in tight, allowing them to pop out the sides. "Some goalies like that tight, some like it loose," Whitmore said. "If it was flaring into the five hole and stopping pucks in there, then there'd be a different story and we might say 'Hey, cut it off.' "Maybe (Thursday's theatrics) were their way of saying we should get rid of them but I'm not going to take it seriously when they do something like that. If they call about it, I'll definitely sit down and hear what they have to say."

It's unclear how many goalies wear the RBK pads, but Whitmore said it's a "good percentage." Luongo isn't the only one to have the flap stick out of his pads. Cristobal Huet is one of several goalies whose knee flaps flip out like Luongo's.

http://communities.canada.com/theprovince/blogs/icehole/archive/2007/12/21/luongo-a-cheater.aspx

No comments: