Canucks goalie Roberto Luongo on LA Kings and NHL rule changes

In advance of Saturday afternoon’s game with the Kings at Staples Center, the Canucks held an optional skate at Toyota Sports Center earlier today. Among the handful of players participating was goaltender Roberto Luongo – who lost 3-2 via a shootout when Vancouver visited Los Angeles earlier this season.  Following about a 30-minute workout with a handful of his teammates, here’s what he had to share…

– On if he’ll get the start in goal vs. the Kings on Saturday afternoon: “I don’t think so. Why would I be playing if Schneid’s is standing on his head right now?…I don’t know, but I would assume not. You’re asking the wrong guy man. I just play the game.”

– On if he looks forward to playing the Kings: “Obviously.  Any time you play a team that eliminated you the year before in the playoffs there’s always a little extra motivation there. They make for some good hockey games. They’re intense. Those are the type of games you like to be involved in.”

– On Dwight King getting teased that he looks like Luongo: “Well I’d rather them say he looks like me than I look look like him.”

NOTE: Some Vancouver reports asked a series a questions about a play in the recent Canucks-Coyotes game, where Mike Smith was hit by Alex Edler behind the goal cage. Eventually, that discussion turned into a more broad chat about rules.

– On if the league has to be more aggressive in protecting goalies playing pucks in the trapezoid: “It’s a fine line. You know what I’m saying? It’s tough to say what’s incidental contact, and what’s not.  I mean, just purely knowing Alex; you know it was incidental. That’s the only thing you can go off. Obviously, not everybody knows what kind of person Alex is. I don’t know. It’s a tough call. I really didn’t take a great look at the replay and see where the point of contact, and all that kind of stuff was made. So can’t really comment on it.”

– On if the league does enough to protect goalies: “Are you trying to get me in trouble? I don’t know. It’s like you’re trying to get me in trouble. I mean, it’s…There’s a fine line there; you know what I’m saying? If you’re in the blue ice, I think we’re getting the protection we need. Sometimes play happen outside the crease where it’s a tough call for the ref and the league. I think all-in-all, in the blue paint, things are going well.”

– On potential changes to the size of the nets and/or goalie equipment: “Well I’m not exactly sure as far as pads are concerned. I know they want to take some off the top. I don’t know if it’s going to go according to size, or just off of everybody. I don’t have a problem with the length of the pad being shortened as long as it’s proportionate to the player. Some guys are taller than others, obviously. The thing I’m concerned about is, if they do reduce the pads and want to make the knee guards ‘more comfortable’…obviously, safety is the main concern there. If it’s safe, sure.”

– On making the nets bigger: “I don’t think it’s something that you would see traditionally in any sport. It just changes the dynamics of how you play the game, you know?”

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