Goalie Cory Schneider nabs three-year deal with Vancouver Canucks

The Vancouver Canucks have locked up goalie Cory Schneider to a three-year, $12-million contract. General Manager Mike Gillis announced the news at a team function for season-ticket holders at Rogers Arena on Thursday (Julye 28) night. The deal comes just days before Schneider was set to become a restricted free agent on July 1 and open to an offer sheet from other NHL teams.

Schneider assumed the starter's job from Roberto Luongo after two games of the Canucks first round playoff series with Los Angeles setting the wheels in motion for a Luongo trade this off-season. The Schneider deal means the Canucks have more than $9 million locked up in their two goalies at the moment. That all but guarantees Luongo will be jettisoned before next season begins.

The 26-year-old Schneider posted a sparkling 20-8-1 record last season and finished third in the league with a 1.96 goals-against-average and second in the league with a 93.7 save percentage. Despite winning just one of his three playoff starts this spring, Schneider's statistics improved in the post-season when he registered a miniscule 1.31 GAA and a sparkling 96.0 save percentage. Unfortunately for him, the Canucks scored just four goals in Schneider's three playoff outings and lost to the eventual Stanley Cup champion L.A. Kings in five games.