In his second season as captain of the NHL hockey team the Vancouver Canucks, goalie Roberto Luongo has been named to Team Canada, the Olympic men’s hockey team that will represent the country at the Vancouver 2010 Winter Games (alongside goalies Martin Brodeur and Marc-André Fleury). Here are a few of his thoughts.
Team Canada
Lori Henry: What does playing for Team Canada mean to you?
Roberto Luongo: Well, it’s a great honour and I think that, because it’s in Vancouver this year, it’s doubly special. You get a chance to represent your country and we all know how important this tournament is to the country… It’s special and it’s exciting and it’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for, not only me, but anybody that’s part of the team. I’m really looking forward to it and I’m trying to make the most of it.
LH: Could it be much better than playing in your adopted hometown of Vancouver?
RL: Any Canadian hockey city is a great city. Vancouver’s a beautiful place, one of the most beautiful places in the world, so I can’t think of a better place to have it.
Olympic Games
LH: How special is it that you got to go back to your Italian roots in Torino [2006 Olympic Games] and now play in the place you call home during the season?
RL: It’s funny how it turned out that way. I had a great experience in Torino, even though team-wise we didn’t do so well, but it was fantastic for me to be there and to be able to speak Italian to all the people over there... Even though the results weren’t there, it’s always something you’re going to remember because the Olympics are really something that’s special.
LH: Will your previous experience at the Olympics help you in February?
RL: You just know how the logistics work, not as far as hockey-wise, but around the Olympics, with the village and transportation and how things work with security and all that stuff. So, it’s all going to be familiar now that you’ve been through it once before and the fact that it’s in Vancouver also really helps me out because I know the city well. I’m pretty comfortable in that setting, so that’s already a plus.
Calgary Orientation Camp
LH: How was orientation camp and playing with some of those talented players?
RL: It was great; it was a fun week. All the guys went there and we knew we had a lot of stuff to learn in a short amount of time… It was a bit more intense than I think guys thought it would be, but I think it’s a good thing. Babs [head coach Mike Babcock] likes to have intense practices and asks a lot out of the players and that sets a good tempo for us
LH: Did anyone stand out for you?
RL: I’ll have to think about that one. There are so many skilled players, it’s tough to pick one… I guess a guy like Sid “The Kid” would probably be the one at the top of the list, right?
(Conversely, Sidney Crosby, quoted by Sam Kasan of the Pittsburgh Penguins media staff, was asked about the toughest NHL goaltender he has faced: “I don't know if I want to give him the mental edge [but] I think Brodeur and Luongo, those guys have really stood out.”)
Fortunately, Roberto Luongo and Sidney Crosby won’t have to face off against each other, as they’ll both be wearing Team Canada jerseys.
So, who should start in net for Team Canada: Roberto Luongo, Martin Brodeur or Marc-André Fleury?
Lori Henry - A travel writer, Lori flits between exploring the world with incessant curiosity and huddling over her laptop writing.
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