[Report] Luongo Requests A Trade During Exit Meeting With Gillis

[Toni Zamboni]

I would laugh at the irony if Lu gets traded to Tampa and they go on to win the stanley cup next year.......everyone thats applauding the move now would be trying to point fingers at gillis...........he asking to be moved because hes been disrespected by the fans, the media and now probably the organization....i dont blame him when he can easily be somewhere where people appreciate elite goalies that are human too.

you dont know what you've got, until its gone...

[NuxFan09]

They cite the same interview that we were all listening to this morning. Gillis never refuted the report, but rather stated that they would make a decision within a few days. Even Jason Botchford, who conducted the interview this morning, acknowledged that Gillis never denied the report, immediately after Gillis hung up the phone. Gillis never denied that Luongo had asked for a trade, instead opting to say he would not discuss the issue and that they had agreed to talk over the phone later this week.

TSN is simply running with that headline. Several sources, including some of the Canucks' most reliable beat reporters, reported that there was a list of teams. Gillis did not deny it in his interview with the TEAM 1040 today. That particular headline isn't accurate.

[diesel_3]

Zamboni, we were having a good thread until you posted a Janet Jackson song. How dare you.

[Ray_Cathode]

Look at it this way. If the Canucks traded Schneider who is a young, up and coming elite goal tender, the fans would be on Lou's back every minute of the day, and probably unfairly as well. It is just better for the organization in the long term and for Lou himself to do a trade.

Lou knows that Schneider is just too good a goalie who is going to be in his prime soon and that the organization wants to move forward with Cory. That is classy of Lou to acknowledge this and instead get the ball rolling.

[Red Light Racicot]

Toronto? You think the media and fans are bad here? Good luck in T.O. He would be way better off in Tampa or Florida or Dallas. I think a move would help him. He obviously didnt like it here that much if all it took was this to make him ask for trade. Just think if he goes to Maple Leafs he wont have to worry about ever having a bad playoff or any playoff at all.

[poetica]

What you have failed to comprehend padawan, is that your diatribe precludes the notion of free will. Luongo obviously does not want to share the load, he's an all or nothing guy -- despite the contrary of what he has said. If he was truly a team player, he would not have put it out into the universe that his return next season in a Canucks uniform would be questionable.

[keslerian one]

I would laugh at the irony if Lu gets traded to Tampa and they go on to win the stanley cup next year.......everyone thats applauding the move now would be trying to point fingers at gillis...........he asking to be moved because hes been disrespected by the fans, the media and now probably the organization....i dont blame him when he can easily be somewhere where people appreciate elite goalies that are human too.

you dont know what you've got, until its gone...

[BoKnows53]

Absolutely excellent news!! This is what I had hopedwould play out when Schneider realized his supreme talent. Never thought Luongo would have the balls to ask for a trade though.

[CookieCrumbs]

Schenn

Gustavsson

for

Luongo

[riffraff]

Gillis = screwed.

[Loselongo]

Wow. So much stupidity. It's not that he's not willing to compete for his job. Management is obviously going the Schneider route. There is only so much he can do. He started when called upon by the coach. What's he supposed to do when the coach goes with Schneider for the last 3 games of the playoffs? If he demanded that he start then you guys would be calling him a diva.

I'm by no means a Luongo fanboy, I just find it annoying how some of you find fault with anything Luongo does. He can't win with you guys.

[riffraff]

Oh man, I would love to see Schenn in a Canucks uni.

[PlanTheParade]

The way Luongo handled the media question of "Is your preference to stay in Vancouver?" tells it all. This is no surprise really.

I really hoped that something like this didn't break though, since MG will have less leverage in his trade.

[Tanev's Smirk]

Ate you high?

Maybe Brayden but Luke is an overrated scratchfest

[riffraff]

Then he would fit right in with some of our other defenders.

[Hyzer]

Well..maybe now we can get a goalie who can score..because that is the only thing that Luongo didn't do for us and MUST be the reason everyone else hates him here in Vancouver.

Let's get something straight "fans". You all suck. 3/4 of you only watched your first hockey game last year, most of that 3/4 still don't know what icing is and yet you are all stupid enough to boo and taunt a world class goalie to the point he wants out.

Love my Canucks..hate every single last one of you people who came only bought a Canucks jersey because it has pretty colors (known as Canuck fans).

[-DLC-]

The problem is Deb, Lu has had over a decade to "figure out" how to handle the adversity and up to and including last year, was still having "lapses". THis year, his start was worse than previous years and he had another lapse in the new year where he played poorly. Hw many years does management bet the team's future on Lu learning how to handle the pressure? IS it any more of a gamble to go with COry based on his book than to stick with Lu who has been consistently inconsistent in the big games?

Every current "Star" goalie in the NHL had to be given the reigns at some point and some GM took that chance. MG has watched Cory develop for 6 years and knows him and his strenghts/weaknesses better than any other goalie in the league except Lu. He's seen Cory in pressure-packed games against the league's best and in the playoffs in must-win situations and his demeanor, style and abilities have not waivered.

IF ever a goalie has had a long audiotion for the role of starter, it is Cory. It's not like MG is gambling on some AHL call-up that was brought in for an emergency and got hot for 8 games.

I wish LU all the best but it is clear that hew is not interested in any kind of sharing arrangement that calls into question his position as "starter". It doesnt mean he doesn't support and like Cory, as he says it is just he wants to be the undisputed go-to-guy and face of his team. I hope it works out for him.

Good points and I really can't argue with them. I'm torn....as a tried and true Lu fan, I find it hard to bid him adieu without wondering if his brilliance wouldn't have been the difference in us getting there. If he leaves and it doesn't happen, there will always be a big "what if" surrounding his departure.

But I'm really on the fence over the whole thing...I have nothing but confidence in Cory and also have come to accept him as "ours". So, while I understand and can support why this will come to fruition for him, my heart is heavy that it comes with Lu's departure. I guess somehow I really hoped we'd somehow have them both.

[Haikara]

I'd like to hear this from a reliable source before believing this. Lu is a class act and thinks about the team first ... I doubt he would ask to just throw it away.

[puckluv]

I'd like to personally 'thank' the as$h0l3s that ruined Luongo's career in Vancouver by treating an elite goalie like trash. Now there goes our face of the team.

[Go Canucks Go Go]

He wants to leave because he wants what is best for himself, not what is best for the team. He has publicly caused this ordeal to occur and is forcing his own way off the roster. This is a selfish move by an individual who has had issues with his ego before. He was happiest when he could dictate when he wanted to play, and he was content with playing 70+ games per season for a number of years. Now that he is being challenged for the starting position in Vancouver, he has bailed on the team he nearly won the Stanley Cup with.

This is a reactionary decision by a player who is unwilling to allow the team to think about what they'd like to do. He could have allowed the team to shop Schneider, or he could have battled for the starting job next year. Instead, a few days after the playoffs ended, and following three consecutive playoff games on the bench, Luongo has resorted to requesting a trade and forcing Mike Gillis to move him.