Roberto Luongo staying with the Canucks
Posted April 3, 2013 1:04 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – The trade deadline has come and gone and Roberto Luongo is still a Vancouver Canuck.
Speculation really started to heat up when Luongo was pulled from the practice ice early.
“It was 10 minutes before the deadline, so they wanted to make sure I was available in case something happened and in case I needed to sign off on anything,” Luongo explains.
He says he’s not disappointed, but admits it has been an emotional ride. “It’s more of the unknown that has gotten to me more than anything else. I am proud to be a Vancouver Canuck. I love it here. I love my teammates.”
Luongo admits there is one stumbling block that’s holding him back.
“My contract sucks. That’s what the problem is. Unfortunately it’s a big factor in trading me and it’s probably why I’m still here,” he says. “I’d scrap it if I could right now.”
“I’m not disappointed in the way I’ve handled this situation. I think I’ve tried to handle it the right way and not create any negative energy around the team,” Luongo continues.
He also says he has never considered forcing the move of goaltender Cory Schneider by going to team staff and telling them that he’s staying, that’s that.
Rogers Sportsnet analyst John Garrett says it’s good news for the team, but not so much for Luongo.
“Personally for Roberto, it’s hard. The reason, when you grow up as a kid you want to play 60 minutes a game, you want to be the guy, you want to be the guy who decides most games, and you end up sitting on the bench watching, it’s hard,” Garrett says.
He predicts a trade will happen this summer, but don’t expect it to be a quick deal thanks to Luongo’s 10-year contract.
