Vancouver Canucks goalie Roberto Luongo switched agents Thursday according to reports.
J.P. Barry and partner Pat Brisson confirmed that they will now represent Luongo, who was formerly represented by Gilles Lupien. Lupien and Luongo's partnership is mostly remembered for Lupien helping the backstop garner a 12-year $64 million contract with the Canucks back in 2009.
There is no known reason as to why Luongo made the change, and Barry said he wasn't going to comment.
"I think I am going to have to reserve comment for a while," Barry said per the Vancouver Sun. "We need to get up to speed and take some time. Obviously we are coming on to a difficult file and we need to give him proper advice and we need to take some time here"
Luongo and the Canucks have had a rocky relationship the past couple of seasons. Luongo lost his starting job to then-backup goaltender Cory Schneider back in the 2012 playoffs due to his poor play. Following the 2012 season, Luongo wanted to be traded but with his large salary it was hard for him to find a team with enough cap space to take on his deal.
Luongo attempted to step up after Schneider was sidelined with an injury for the opening two games of Vancouver's first-round series against the San Jose Sharks in the 2013 playoffs, but he allowed three goals in both games and the Canucks were eventually swept.
It seemed as though Schneider would be the goalie of the future for Vancouver and that Luongo, 34 would find a new team, however Schneider was traded to the New Jersey Devils during the 2013 NHL draft. Schneider and Martin Brodeur will now compete for the starting job in New Jersey--and possibly platoon--while Luongo will try to help Vancouver to its first Stanley Cup.
Luongo and the Canucks were one win away from the Stanley Cup in 2011, but blew a 2-0 and then a 3-2 series lead and lost a Game 7 on home ice to the Boston Bruins. Following that season, the relationship between Luongo and the franchise started to grow sour.
Despite that, Canucks general manager Mike Gillis says the team is confident in Luongo.
"I have full confidence in Roberto and I have full confidence that he'll be here, and that is how we are operating," Gillis told NHL.com.
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