Perhaps the biggest story of the offseason, aside from that pesky lockout, was the saga of Roberto Luongo in Vancouver. The veteran goaltender requested a trade at the end of last season as he lost more and more playing time to Cory Schneider and trade rumors instantly heated up the moment the lockout ended. The asking price by the Canucks, however, was too high and Luongo remained with the team.
NHL trade rumors: Could Canucks trade Cory Schneider, not Roberto Luongo?
With rumors swirling all offseason that Vancouver was looking to trade Roberto Luongo, could it be Cory Schneider that is moved instead?
Harry How
Craig Custance of ESPN now speculates that perhaps it will be Schneider who is moved, instead of Luongo.
Gillis has been getting calls from teams interested in Schneider. It might be better in the short term if Schneider is moved. It’s presumed that they could get better package of players for Schneider than for Luongo. Schneider is under contract through 2014-15 at $4 million a year. If the Canucks were to move him, they would still have a world-class goalie in Luongo.
Schneider, handed the starting job over Luongo, struggled to start the season and is just 5-4-1 on the year with a .908 save percentage and paved the way for a tandem look in net for the Canucks. Working side by side with Schneider seemed to rejuvenate Luongo, who was undefeated on the season until allowing eight goals against Detroit on Feb. 24.
The idea that the Canucks would stick with Luongo over Schneider is an interesting one, especially given the offseason atmosphere that existed between the goaltender and the team. The veteran goaltender has proven nearly impossible to move, however, and logic says Schneider would certainly be the hotter commodity for a team looking for a young franchise goaltender.
But for the Canucks to even consider reversing course and moving the kid instead of the veteran, as was the plan, they would need assurances from Luongo that he no longer wants out. Remember, Luongo asked for a trade at the end of last season.
My guess? Luongo hasn’t changed his mind.
I don’t think Schneider is going anywhere.
More in the NHL:
See More:
