Luongo 'totally fine' with possible trade by Canucks

Friday, 01.11.2013 / 9:52 PM NHL.com

Vancouver Canucks goalie Roberto Luongo said Friday he's "totally fine" with being traded, no matter how long it takes.

"I told [general manager Mike Gillis] I was ready to go as long as it took," Luongo said, according to The Associated Press. "Whether it's a couple days, next week, two weeks, at the end of the season, it's totally fine with me."

Trade rumors involving Luongo have existed since the end of last season, with Cory Schneider expected to take over the No. 1 role for the Canucks.

Luongo, 33, has a no-trade clause in the 12-year, $64 million contract he signed prior to the 2010-11 season. The Toronto Maple Leafs, Florida Panthers and Chicago Blackhawks are the most mentioned possible destinations.

A trade can't be completed until the new Collective Bargaining Agreement is signed. The NHLPA is voting on ratification through Saturday after the NHL Board of Governors voted to approve the CBA on Wednesday.

Luongo skated with teammates Friday in Vancouver prior to the possible opening of NHL training camps this weekend.

"I'm ready for whatever comes my way," Luongo said on the Canucks website. "I think I've opened myself up to a lot of ideas, possibilities, and one of them is obviously to be here."

Schneider, 26, played the final three games of the Canucks' five-game first-round Stanley Cup Playoffs loss to the Los Angeles Kings. He started to receive more playing time in March of last season and signed a three-year, $12 million contract in June.

Luongo was 31-14-8 in 55 games with a 2.41 goals-against average and a .919 save percentage. Schneider appeared in 33 games, going 20-8-1 with a 1.96 GAA and a .937 save percentage.

"[Luongo's] one of my two goaltenders," coach Alain Vigneault told the AP on Friday. "We've always made the decisions in the best interest of the team. We've got two great goaltenders, two great people that are great teammates, and both want to play."

Vigneault said Luongo's unsettled position would not affect the rest of the team.

"'You have seen him throughout the last couple of months," Vigneault said. "He's a class individual. … He always puts the team ahead of himself, and he's a Vancouver Canuck player, and I'm not going to speculate on what's going on outside of that."

Luongo said he does not know what the resolution will be.

"You've just got to let things play out and chips fall where they may," he told the Vancouver Province. "… I think me and Mike right now are on the same page about certain things. Until there's an answer for me, I'll just wait patiently."

Back to top