from Ed Willes of the Vancouver Province,

Following Friday night’s game, Luongo sat fifth in the NHL with a 1.46 goals-against average and fourth with a .944 save percentage which, considering his Canucks career, isn’t that unusual. But unless you’ve been on a probe in deep space for the last 10 months, you may be aware the circumstances around those numbers have been anything but normal.

We’ll spare you the details, but Luongo was supposed to have disappeared from Vancouver long before this season started and Schneider was supposed to be the No. 1. Eight games in, however, things have changed dramatically for this team, even though the goalie position looks the same as it has for the last six seasons.

“We’ve always had a lot of respect for him, but I think the pressure on him has been different,” said Henrik Sedin. “I think he’s come in as maybe not the No. 1. Maybe it’s easier.”

He’s certainly made it look that way. Luongo, clearly, has been looser and more relaxed this season than any of the previous Lui-versions we’ve seen. Part of that is because he’s more mature. Most of it is because there isn’t a great deal of pressure on him. He wins, he stays in the net. He loses, what’s the worst thing that can happen? They trade him out of Vancouver?

It seems Luongo has become comfortable with that possibility.

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