Roberto Luongo Saga

[hf101]

A Timeline written in a blog by Damien Cox

 

Luongo's journey in Vancouver

 
June 23, 2006: Canucks GM Dave Nonis acquires Luongo from Florida along with Lukas Krajicek and a sixth round draft pick for Todd Bertuzzi, Bryan Allen and Alex Auld. Luongo had turned down big money with the Panthers, and when Nonis had called to see if GM Mike Keenan was interested in Bertuzzi, it was Keenan who suggests Luongo might be part of a package going the other way.

April, 2007: Goalie Cory Schneider, a Canucks draft pick, loses his final collegiate game to Michigan State and chooses to forego his senior year at Boston College to turn pro.

May 3, 2007 : Luongo makes a heroic 56 saves in a series ending overtime playoff loss to Anaheim. He misses first three minutes of OT with a case of diarrhea.

Sept. 30, 2008 : Luongo, then 29, named team captain in an unusual move by rookie GM Mike Gillis and head coach Alain Vigneault, rather than by a vote of the players.

Luongo is the first NHL goalie in 59 years to receive that designation. As per NHL rules, he is not allowed to wear "C" on his jersey, so he paints one on his mask. He replaces Markus Naslund, who has signed with the Rangers as a free agent.

Nov. 29, 2008 : Schneider makes his first start for the Canucks, makes 28 saves in a 3-1 loss to Calgary.

Sept. 2, 2009 : Luongo signs a new 12 year, $64 million contract extension to keep him in Vancouver until he is 43 years old.

"Today is a very exciting day for our organization," says Gillis. "Roberto Luongo is the leader of our team."

Feb. 21, 2010 : Canada loses 5-3 to U.S. at the Vancouver Olympics with Martin Brodeur in net. A day later, Luongo is named the team's new starter by head coach Mike Babcock.

Feb 28, 2010 : Luongo is in goal as Canada wins gold medal in Vancouver, 3-2 in overtime over Team U.S.A.

April 6, 2010: Canucks sign undrafted Swedish goalie Eddie Lack to a two-year free agent contract.

June 2, 2010 : Schneider signs a two-year, $1.8 million contract .

June 16, 2010 : Ian Clark fired as Vancouver's goalie coach and replaced by Rollie Melanson, Luongo expresses disappointment with the decision.

Sept. 13, 2010: Luongo steps down as captain. "It may be incompatible with goaltending," says Gillis.

April 24, 2011 : It's the first tangible sign that Luongo is no longer The Man in Van as Schneider starts his first playoff game as a Canuck in Game 6 of the first round against Chicago. He had replaced Luongo in Games 4 and 5.

Schneider leaves Game 6 in the third period with leg cramps, Canucks lose 4-3 in overtime, but then, with Luongo back in goal, win Game 7 at home with a 2-1 OT triumph.

June 15, 2011 : Luongo in net as Canucks lose Game 7 of Stanley Cup final on home ice to Boston 4-0. Luongo allows three goals on 20 shots. Fans riot in the streets of Vancouver.

April 15, 2012 : Schneider replaces Luongo as Canucks starter in Game 3 of first round series against Los Angeles. Canucks go on to lose series in five games. Schneider is all but declared the new No. 1 goalie and Gillis starts to explore trade scenarios for Luongo.

June 29, 2012 : Schneider signs a three-year, $12 million contract. Gillis fails to trade Luongo at draft. Toronto GM Brian Burke claims Gillis makes exorbitant demands, asking for Tyler Bozak, Jake Gardiner, a first round pick and other assets. Gillis claims he has "multiple" teams interested in the veteran goaltender.

The NHL goes into a four-month lockout in September, freezing all potential trades. Ultimately, the new collective bargaining agreement includes rules that penalize long term contracts like the one signed three years earlier by Luongo.

April 3, 2013 : After weeks of intense speculation, Luongo pulled from the ice during Canucks practice on NHL trade deadline day for a meeting with Gillis. Anticipating a trade had been made - he had earlier declared the Canucks to be "Cory's team" - instead he was told he was still a Canuck.

Last minute trade talks with the Leafs had again fallen apart.

"I still don't think it's as hard as people make it out (to be)," says Gillis of a Luongo trade.

"My contract sucks," says Luongo at an emotional press conference. "That's what the problem is.. . it's more honestly a hit on your pride that teams aren't willing to give up much."

May 7, 2013 : Luongo on the bench as Canucks swept from playoffs in first round by San Jose. Luongo had started first two games with Schneider injured.

June 30, 2013 : Schneider, 26, traded to New Jersey for the No. 9 pick in the entry draft. Gillis talks of "changing landscape" of CBA, which forced him to alter plans and keep Luongo.

Schneider calls the trade "shocking." Canucks chose not to use compliance buyout on Luongo, which would have cost owners two-thirds of the $40.5 million left on his contract.

"I have a contract, I plan to honor it," says Luongo days after the Schneider trade. "I want to re-establish myself as one of the top goalies in the league."

Oct. 6, 2013 : Lack makes his first NHL appearances, gets the win in a 5-4 victory over Calgary

Feb. 8, 2014 : Luongo loses his fifth straight start, 3-1 to the Leafs in Toronto. Overall, his numbers are solid, with a .917 save percentage and a 2.18 goals-against average.

Feb 14, 2014 : Canada beats Austria 6-0 at Sochi Olympics with Luongo getting the shutout.

Feb. 16, 2014 : Even though Luongo is the Olympic incumbent and hasn't allowed a goal, Babcock chooses Carey Price to get the start for Team Canada in the final preliminary round game, and he beats Finland 2-1 in OT. Luongo never plays again in the tournament.

Feb. 26, 2014 : Vancouver head coach John Tortorella chooses Lack to start the first game for the Canucks after Olympic break. He gets the shutout in 1-0 triumph over St. Louis

March 1, 2014 : Lack, 26, is named starter for the Heritage Game at B.C. Place.

Luongo is crushed. "I don't want to start going through this whole thing again," he tells reporters.

March 2, 2014 : Canucks lose Heritage Game 4-2 to Ottawa with fans chanting "We Want Lu." "Sorry guys, I'm not talking," says Luongo afterwards.

 

[jammer2]

  This seems like a saga that will never end until Luongo retires. He's always been a polarizing type of player, a walking soap opera. I'll remember him for the squabbles more than the goaltending, which is very telling.

[hf101]

Freedom for Luongo!

 

Traded to the Panthers.

[yave1964]

 I traded for him and then went to get a bite to eat with the wife and came home and saw this and about fell over.

 

  At first I thought ugh, Luongo to the Panthers, it doesn't get much worse than that. Then the more I thought about it, I am okay with it.

 

  Luongo was trapped playing for Torts on a team that was not going anywhere. In Florida the club is not going anywhere either but he will toil in obscurity with zero pressure.

  He is my third goalie, behind Lundquist and Niemi, I wanted him for additional starts and saves, he gets those as much in Florida as in Vancouver. So from a fantasy standpoint it is six of one and half a dozen of the other.

  The fun part now is Luongo is sharing a net with Tim Thomas who he played against in the 2010 Stanley Cup finals, the two clearly did not like each other and I am sure Thomas has no desire to sit on the bench behind him so unless Thomas is dealt the whining about ice time should start about........ now. Wow Bobby Lu back to Florida. After trading Schneider to the Devils I thought this was never going to happen.

[AlaskaFlyerFan]

Wow Bobby Lu back to Florida. After trading Schneider to the Devils I thought this was never going to happen.

I'm a little dumbfounded on this trade. Eddie Lack is not a NHL starting goalie IMHO. Markstrom played down here for the better part of the last 2 1/2 years. I was not impressed. In fact, I was telling some people that he needs some time in the ECHL because of how bad he was playing. I can understand Vancouver wanted to dump that salary but then they should have held on to Schneider.

[jammer2]

@AlaskaFlyerFan  Yes, if they are gonna trade Luongo, then you don't deal Schneider at all....Schneids is significantly better than Lack or Markstrom....so they really screwed the pooch here. Horvat better become a real nice asset...that is the only real saving grace in this cluster****!!