Would the Canucks be able to trade Luongo?

There are still many questions surrounding the Vancouver Canucks even though they managed to stay alive in the NHL playoffs save one – is Roberto Luongo still their main man?

Luongo’s up-and-down career with the Canucks is almost certainly in its final weeks now that the Canucks’ organization, from general manager Mike Gillis and head coach Alain Vigneault on down, turned to emerging goaltender Cory Schneider for the last two games with the team’s season on the line. Schneider served notice Thursday he is ready for the No. 1 job with 43 saves in a 3-1 win, the Canucks’ first against three losses in their playoff series against the Los Angeles Kings.

The irony is that Luongo, who tormented Canucks fans for years with performances that ranged from awful to good to great with little in-between, finally lost his job despite playing well. He was not the problem in the Canucks’ first two losses to the Kings but Vigneault turned to Schneider because the team needed some sort of change and the players have a lot of confidence in the younger goaltender.

The only question now is can the Canucks trade Luongo, 33, and the 10 seasons left on his contract, with a salary-cap hit of $5.33-million (all currency U.S.) per year? While there was some thought the Canucks might find it easier to trade him when the Vancouver Province reported there is an out in Luongo’s contract, it turns out that is not the case.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/hockey/globe-on-hockey/would-the-canucks-be-able-to-trade-luongo/article2407649/