Little Lacking in Eddie’s Game
Posted on 07. Aug, 2011 by D'Ann Faught in AHL
After five seasons, it is hard to imagine anyone but Roberto Luongo suiting up for the Vancouver Canucks between the pipes. A Vezina Trophy finalist, Luongo has been a key part of the Canucks success over the last few years. However Luongo’s inconsistent play, made evident during Vancouver’s recent run to the Stanley Cup, may have had a few Canucks fans wondering about the future in the net. While Cory Schneider put together an impressive season backing up Luongo, there is also a chance that Vancouver looks deeper into their system for an answer in the years to come. That answer just might be Eddie Lack.
Lack is a Swedish goaltender that spent his minor career growing up with his hometown Norrtälje IK. He was fortunate at a young age to work with Hockey Hall of Fame goalie Ed Belfour, who spent time in Sweden during the NHL lockout. In 2006, Lack started his professional career in Europe, playing with Leksands IF of the HockeyAllsvenskan, but still saw time in juniors. In 2007, Belfour made a return to Sweden and started in net for Leksands, where he had a shutout streak that lasted 251 minutes. However, by the 2008-2009 season, Lack had outplayed Belfour and solidified his place as the starter.
In the 2009 NHL Entry Draft, Lack was ranked ninth among European goaltenders, but went undrafted. He moved up to Sweden’s top league, Elitserien, and played with Brynäs IF. Lack played fourteen games in the Swedish Elite League, posting a 2.67 goals against average and a .911 save percentage. His play there caught the eye of Vancouver scout Lars Lindgren and he was signed to an entry-level contract with the Canucks.
Eddie Lack played his first season in North America this year with the Manitoba Moose, the Canucks American Hockey League affiliate. With the offseason shakeup and Winnipeg getting an NHL team again, the sophomore goalie will be in Chicago for the 2011-2012 season, hoping to continue his success with the Canucks’ new affiliate. Lack made a spectacular adjustment from the Swedish league this season and finished with a 2.26 goals against average and a .926 save percentage. During this year’s Calder Cup playoffs, Lack helped the Moose to the second round and recorded a 1.99 GAA and .932 save percentage in 12 games. He joined the Canucks for their playoff run, working out with the team and ready to step in should anything go wrong in Vancouver.
The key to Lack’s rookie success was his poise and durability. Lack has terrific positioning, quiet body language and does not move a lot in the crease. At 6-foot-4 and just under 200 pounds, Lack has been nicknamed “The Stork,” in reference to his long legs and tall frame. Despite his size, Lack is also quick and very difficult to beat down low. He recorded five shutouts this season for the Manitoba Moose and was named to the American Hockey League’s All-Rookie team. Impressive about Lack’s play is he does an excellent job of absorbing shots and not allowing rebounds. He is a very economical goalie that does not show a lot of holes.
Despite his success last season, the starting job for the Chicago Wolves will not be handed to Lack on a silver platter. Vancouver signed Matt Climie to a two-way deal this off-season and he will fight Lack for starts. Climie, a goalie who seems to excel when he is battling for a starting job, should provide competition for the sophomore goalie and push him to raise his game. Last season, Tyler Weiman was a similar talent for Manitoba but he struggled early, which opened the door for Lack to secure his place as the starter.
Matt Climie backstopped the Texas Stars during their Calder Cup run in 2010 and started out strong last season with the San Antonio Rampage. However, once the New York Islanders signed Al Montoya and Climie was anointed as the Rampage starting goalie, he seemed to struggle down the stretch, finishing the season with an ugly game against the Oklahoma City Barons, in which he had seven goals against.
Eddie Lack will have to work hard this season to prove he is the future for the Vancouver Canucks. Although Roberto Luongo’s contract extends through the 2021-2022 season, both Cory Schneider and Eddie Lack are set to become restricted free agents next summer. Matt Climie also only signed a one-year deal, so the Canucks will have some choices to make as they enter free agency after the season. Will Lack be able to continue his rookie success or will he struggle as a sophomore between the pipes? If he continues to develop and excel, there is a good chance he challenges Schneider for the backup job in Vancouver.