When Roberto Luongo played for the Florida Panthers, he was known as the best goalie never to make the playoffs. That moniker changed once he was traded to Vancouver, but perhaps now he will be known as the best goalie never to play in the Finals?
Vancouver signed the goalie to a 12 year, 64 million dollar contract last September, a deal which will keep him under wraps until he is 42 years old. While it's one of those goofy, front-end loaded contracts that only pays a million per year in the last couple of years, it's still a huge commitment for a goalie who seems to be slipping a bit, at least statistically speaking.
Luongo's regular season save percentage of .913 was rated as 17th best in the NHL last year. It was also his worst save percentage since his rookie season with the Islanders.
Let's not even discuss his .895 save percentage during the playoffs and that he was badly out-played during this most recent series with Chicago by rookie Antti Niemi.
Was this year just an anomaly? Canucks management must be praying so because they are on the hook to pay him $10 million in cash next season, according to the terms of his contract.
If it did earlier, Cam Ward's six year contract extension for $37.8 million doesn't seem so extravagant now.