After the Vancouver Canucks traded away goalie Cory Schneider and decided to make Roberto Luongo the starter once again, rumors swirled that he may not actually return. Luongo had been benched for Schneider at the start of last season, serving as the veteran. When the season ended, Luongo went home to Florida and prepared to be traded. Except that plan did not work. Luongo confirms the rumors that he considered not returning, but promises he is motivated now as training camp approaches.
It is no secret that Luongo is signed to one of the worst contracts in sport's history. Currently signed through the 2022 season, the veteran carries a cap hit of more than $5 million per season. That made Luongo essentially not tradable. Not a single team wants to take that kind of money on no matter how talented the player is. Vancouver's hands were tied.
"I'd scrap it now if I could. It's a hit on your pride that teams aren't willing to give up so much," Luongo said in a press conference.
TSN reporter James Duthie reports that Luongo went as far as meeting with the NHLPA about the chances that he could void his contract and walk away with at least $40 million. Canucks fans knew Luongo was unhappy, but that confirms just how serious the situation had gotten. He was checked out and now prepared to return. So when general manager Mike Gillis called and said he would be starting in 2013, Luongo was not sure he was looking to return.
After numerous conversations with new head coach John Tortorella, Luongo will be attending training camp and preparing to play the season out as a Canuck once again.
"I had moved on from Vancouver and was ready to start fresh somewhere else, like a divorce, except she wanted me back," Luongo said.
Luongo promises that he is highly motivated for the season. Tortorella confirmed that in an interview with the Vancouver Sun. The head coach said the goalie has been working hard and truly does want to play for the team and be a great asset this upcoming season.
"I'll tell you, from talking with him he has told me he is working very hard as far as conditioning and getting ready for this season. He knows there is a lot of talk and probably a lot of questions coming his way with how it all unfolded here. I think he's prepared for that and the bottom line is he told me "I just want to play." I think that is the most important thing, if there is some conflict or you are unhappy about certain things, the bottom line is and he understands it, is that he is playing for his teammates," Tortorella said.
For now that ends the Luongo drama. Expect things to pick back up around the trade deadline and then again in the offseason. It has happened the past two seasons and it will happen again.
