If the Canucks' goal with this summer's Eddie Lack trade was indeed to quell the hysteria surrounding their backup goaltender, you have to admire how it's worked out for them. It's like they don't even have a backup anymore.
With Miller playing very well, Lack a member of the Carolina Hurricanes, Jacob Markstrom still injured, the forgettable Richard Bachman has been quietly filling the spot until Markstrom is healthy. There's simply no buzz around the position anymore. When was the last time Sportsnet even cut to the backup after Miller was beaten? Do you know what Richard Bachman even looks like? (If you don't, here's a picture.)
If Eddie Lack was here, however, it would be a different story. Every Canuck goal would be followed by a smash cut to Lack twiddling his thumbs on the bench. There'd be a lot more grumbling about Miller -- in this case, that his strong start was preventing us from seeing Lack -- and a lot more nitpicking of his game. Heck, some of us would be quietly (or not so quietly) rooting for Miller to fail, in hopes the Canucks would turn to Lack instead. Some of his more dedicated fans would need Lack. They'd be gasping for Lack. There'd be a hashtag. Not so with Bachman, seen here, if you're still having trouble picturing him.
And truthfully, if I were Miller, I'd want Lack swapped out for Bachman too. (I crave attention. Whenever Daniel writes a popular blog post, I briefly consider trading him to Carolina.) The limelight is finally entirely his. Nobody needs Bachman, save perhaps musicians Fred Turner and Paul Q. Overdrive.
Anyway. Eddie Lack is Carolina's problem now -- the problem being that he's almost too likeable. People are falling all over themselves for him. He says he loves tacos? Why, then you give him all the tacos. Hell, you give him a taco sponsorship. He's a citizen of Raleigh now, but Lack may as well be playing in Tacotowne.
Tacotowne shares a border with Hell, I imagine. There's such a thing as taco overload, and if the former Canuck goaltender's recent interview with Puck Daddy's Joshua Cooper is any indication, Lack has it. From Puck Daddy:
Q. Looks the team ordered some In-N-Out Burger today. Guess that means no taco truck for you here in LA?
LACK: We actually kind of talked about how we’re going to try to pick out the 10 best spots to get tacos on the road. Here it’s definitely one place where I thought it would get it, but I’ve been tired of it lately to be honest. It has been a lot lately.
What is your favorite type of taco?
Ground beef for sure.
I'm sort of sick of tacos.
Uh huh. What's your favourite type of taco?
Poor Eddie Lack. That follow-up taco question is followed up by five more follow-up taco questions. And then Lack is force-fed several tacos. ("But I just ate In N Out!" "What's the matter, Eddie? I thought you loooooooved tacos.")
Eventually, Lack does get to talk about something else. Later in the interview, he touches on his enduring popularity here.
"To be honest, I’m not sure why (I was so popular in Vancouver). I would think it’s because people think I’m a genuine person and I really cared about the city and the team, but that’s just who I am and how I’m going to be wherever I go."
Sure, sure, genuine guy, blah blah blah, whatever. Tell me more about tacos.
