Listening to the TEAM 1040 show this morning, I caught a couple of callers noting that they didn't think that Roberto Luongo was a 70-game goalie and that the guy would get burned out towards the end of the season if the Canucks didn't sit him for a few games, and let Andrew Raycroft get some time on the ice.

Fair enough. But did anyone remember that there's this tournament coming up in the middle of February, which is going to give most NHL players a bit of a break? Sure, Luongo's going to be a part of Team Canada, but let's just say that things roll along as they are for the balance of January. If the coaching staff decides to go with Martin Brodeur for the whole Olympic tournament, then there's Luongo's much-needed time off at a rather crucial point in the season.

Of course I'd love to see the guy between the pipes winning a gold medal for Canada, but I'd also like to see the Canucks go deeper into the playoffs than they have in a long time, too.

And while teams and their fans always worry about players getting hurt in tournaments like these, I think about the only one I'd worry about is Sami Salo, who seems to be able to get injured in ways that just make you shake your head. Not quite as bad as Brent Sopel, but close. Personally, I think that if the Canucks could find a way to block Pavol Demitra from playing in the Olympic tournament, they should explore it. If he's too injured to play a single game for the team that pays him, then he should also be too injured to play in the Olympics.

Just my opinion.

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