Cory Schneider

6 YEARS…6 YEARS…
THAT’S HOW LONG THE VANCOUVER CANUCKS…AND THEIR FANS…HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR CORY SCHNEIDER…
IN 2004 THE CANUCKS DRAFTED SCHNEIDER 26TH OVER ALL…
THE ONLY GOALTENDER THIS ORGANIZATION HAS EVER TAKEN IN THE FIRST ROUND…
AND BECAUSE HIND SIGHT IS ALWAYS 20/20…THE CRITICS HAVE BEEN QUICK TO POINT OUT…
FORMER GENERAL MANAGER DAVE NONIS LEFT “MIKE GREEN” ON THE TABLE…
BUT LASTNIGHT SCHNEIDER DID A LOT TO QUITE THOSE CRITICS…
HE STOPPED 32 OF 33 SHOTS…AS THE CANUCKS BEAT CAROLINA 5-1…
IT IS HIS FIRST “NHL WIN” IN ALMOST 2 YEARS…
BUT JUST AS IMPORTANTLY…SCHNEIDER LOOKED THE PART…
AT 24 HE APPEARS TO HAVE ARRIVED AS A LIGITIMATE BACK UP TO ROBERTO LUONGO…
SOMEONE CAPABLE OF STARTING 25 GAMES…OR MORE…
AFTER TO BACK TO BACK MELTDOWNS IN THE PLAYOFFS…IT HAS BECOME CLEAR TO EVERYONE IN THE ORGANIZATION THAT LUONGO CAN NOT BE EXPECTED TO PLAY OVER 70 GAMES A YEAR…
AND STILL HAVE SOMETHING LEFT…FOR THE POST SEASON…
SINCE HE ARRIVED IN VANCOUVER IN 2006…THERE HAS BEEN A PARADE OF BACK UPS…
DANY SABOURIN…
CURTIS SANFORD…
DREW MACINTYRE…
JASON LABARBERA…AND ANDREW RAYCROFT…
NOT ONE OF THEM WAS ABLE TO WIN ENOUGH GAMES…TO GET INTO DOUBLE DIGETS…
WHICH MEANT…YEAR AFTER YEAR…THE JOB OF SIMPLY MAKING THE PLAYOFFS…RESTED ENTIRELY ON THE SHOULDERS OF LUONGO…
JUDGING FROM LAST NIGHTS PERFORMANCE…THAT MAY NO LONGER BE THE CASE…
SHOULD THIS BE THE BEGINNING OF A GREAT SEASON…THEN IT ALSO GIVES GENERAL MANAGER MIKE GILLIS A BIG CHIP TO PLAY AT THE TRADING DEADLINE…
NO QUESTION…THIS IS A LOT TO TAKE AWAY FROM JUST ONE GAME…
BUT WAITING 6 YEARS FOR ANYTHING…EVEN FOR A BACK UP GOALTENDER…CAN A MAKE EVEN “THE MEDIA”…GO A LITTLE… “CRAZY”…