During last summer, many expected Vancouver Canucks goalie Roberto Luongo to be traded away from the Vancouver Canucks. The keeper had lost the starting job from young Cory Schneider and it seemed that Luongo's time with the Canucks had come to an end.
However, Luongo was not moved during the summer or lockout and remained on the team to start the season. Despite playing well and briefly winning back the job, the trade talks continued heading into Wednesday's deadline.
However, once again Luongo was not moved. Why wasn't Vancouver able to find any buyers for the elite keeper? Luongo himself offered an answer during a press conference.
"My contract sucks," Luongo said bluntly of his 12-year, $64 million deal. "That's what the problem is, and unfortunately it's a big factor in trading me and it's probably why I am still here. ... I'd scrap it if I could right now."
After this season, Luongo still has another nine years on the deal and takes up a $5.33 million cap hit, another major issue. By the time the contract expires Luongo, 34, will be in his 40s and well past his prime.
"I don't think disappointment is the right word," an emotional Luongo said. "It's been an emotional ride the last year. ... I am proud to be a Vancouver Canuck. I love it here, I love my teammates, there's nothing wrong with that. It's just a matter of the unknown, and what the future holds is something that you try not to think about, but I'm human and sometimes it gets to you."
Luongo has won seven of 16 games this season and has 2.44 goals against average and .904 save percentage. He has only played one game since March 18th and has not won since March 14.