Time To Trade Roberto Luongo If Possible For Vancouver Canucks

Roberto Luongo is known for many things around the National Hockey League. Luongo cried after a playoff game a few years ago after giving up a bunch of goals that cost the Vancouver Canucks a chance at going to the Stanley Cup Finals. Luongo the next year was in net as the Canucks lost a 3-1 series lead to the Boston Bruins when the team did make the finals. At this point though, Luongo is in a time-share with Cory Schneider and I think it could be wise for Vancouver to at least explore trying to trade Luongo away if they can get Luongo to waive his no-trade clause.

Luongo hasn’t lost this season with a 3-0-2 record and is giving up less than two goals a year as Vancouver has begun this 2013 season with a 7-2-2 record. There are teams out there who could use a goaltender like Luongo and even though general manager Mike Gillis has said that he would be comfortable keeping Luongo around all year, the thought must be going through his head. Luongo has never gotten through a whole season allowing fewer than two goals a game and his trade value couldn’t be higher.

Schneider is going to be the goalie for the future in Vancouver with Luongo approaching 34 years old so why not send Luongo away and get something of value back for him while the chance is out there. There is nothing to lose if a good trade is out there that could improve this year’s team along with helping the future. Luongo could stay in Vancouver as well for the rest of the year but with ten years still on his contract, Vancouver isn’t getting anything of value if Luongo is on the bench. The time has come to trade Luongo away.

Andy Schmidt is a columnist/writer for RantSports. Follow him on Twitter @ASchmidtSports, like his Facebook page or add him to your network on Google.