Is Roberto Luongo the Vancouver Canucks scapegoat? All eyes have been on Luongo since the Presidents Trophy winners were eliminated in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs to the eighth place Los Angeles Kings. Luongo started the series in goal for the Canucks but he was eventually replaced by Cory Schneider who finished out the series for Vancouver.
Luongo has been feeling a lot of heat from Canucks fans since their devastating game 7 loss on home ice in the Stanley Cup Final last year. Like any sport people look for someone to blame and Luongo made it easy for them. He opening criticized his opponent Tim Thomas during that series. Thomas went on to win the Vezina Trophy.
Luongo still has 10 years left on his contract but he admitted to the media that he would be willing to waive his no-trade clause if he was asked too, indicating that he wants what is best for the team. Back-up goaltender Cory Schneider should be nobodies back-up and having two starting goalies can prove to be troublesome. So one way of another Canucks GM Mike Gilles is going to have to make a decision to trade one of them. The ideal situation for Vancouver is to keep Schneider and deal Luongo to a team that is willing to take on his contract that’s worth about $64 million.
There has been reports that Luongo will give a short list of teams that he would be willing to be traded too sometime next week however GM Mike Gilles says he’s in no hurry to make a decision right away. Speculation is that the Tampa Bay Lightning, Toronto Maple Leafs, Chicago Blackhawks, Florida Panthers and New Jersey Devils are all teams that are going to be on Luongo’s list however nothing has been confirmed.
