Canucks alter climate around Roberto Luongo, Mason Raymond
The temperature changed a little last week for the Vancouver Canucks when they filed to arbitrate against winger Mason Raymond. The environment may be dramatically altered this week as general manager Mike Gillis tries to trade goalie Roberto Luongo.
Gillis confirmed before travelling for NHL meetings on Tuesday that he is talking to teams about his goalie.
“There are lots of teams interested,” Gillis said. “There’s a limited number of proven No. 1 goaltenders in the world. Roberto is, without a doubt, a proven No. 1 all-star goalie.”
The Canuck manager insisted there is no urgency to make a deal this weekend at the draft in Pittsburgh and Gillis said he remains comfortable with the possibility that both Luongo and Cory Schneider, who became the Canucks’ starter during April’s first-round playoff loss to the Los Angeles Kings, will be in Vancouver next season.
Neither goalie, however, would be comfortable with that scenario and it is in no one’s interest to have two No. 1s and nearly $10 million committed to Canuck goalies when one of them will be on the bench each night.