Cory Schneider talks trade to Devils, relationship with Roberto Luongo, and more: Canucks Conversation<\/p>\n
On Monday\u2019s episode of Canucks Conversation \u2014 which was also episode 1000 \u2014 David Quadrelli and Harman Dayal were joined by former NHL goaltender Cory Schneider to reflect on his years in Vancouver<\/a>, his relationship with Roberto Luongo, and what life has looked like since retiring from the NHL.<\/p>\n Schneider started by sharing how much he\u2019s enjoyed the slower pace of retirement and more family time.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s been good to be around my kids,\u201d Schneider said. \u201cWhen you\u2019re playing the game, you\u2019re gone a lot and miss a lot of stuff. It\u2019s been fun being a dad, picking up kids and dropping them off. It might sound a little silly, but these years go by quick, so I\u2019m happy to be around for that.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOther than that, some TV, NHL Network, some Islanders and Devils games on their regional networks, and helping out with the Bridgeport Islanders and coaching their goalies,\u201d Schneider said. \u201cStaying busy, running my own podcast with Brian Boyle, so between all that, I\u2019m busy enough, but not too busy that I don\u2019t get to enjoy retirement.\u201d<\/p>\n Looking back on his playing days in Vancouver, Schneider revisited one of the most memorable moments of the 2011 playoff run \u2014 when he was unexpectedly named the starter in Game 6 against the Chicago Blackhawks after the Canucks had seen a 3-0 series lead slip away<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was a wild sequence,\u201d Schneider said. \u201cWe were up 3-0. Chicago was not your traditional eighth seed, being the defending Stanley Cup champions, so they weren\u2019t just going to be an easy sweep.\u201d<\/p>\n As the series tightened, the pressure ramped up.<\/p>\n \u201cWe got beat up in Game 4, then they beat us up again in Game 5 at home, so I got into that game,\u201d Schneider said. \u201cIt didn\u2019t occur to me that they\u2019d start me in Chicago because it was Roberto \u2013 he was the guy<\/a> and had been the guy.\u201d<\/p>\n The decision came as a surprise, even to him.<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019re always prepared, but we got into Chicago and Alain Vigneault sat me and Roberto down and said I was starting,\u201d Schneider said. \u201cIt wasn\u2019t awkward. Roberto is a consummate pro and was a really good dude to me, so we just kind of looked at each other. I know he was upset because he wants to play. That\u2019s the way he\u2019s wired and what made him so good, but I think he was a bit surprised, like I was.\u201d<\/p>\n That moment spoke to the dynamic between the two goaltenders, which Schneider described as respectful and supportive throughout their time together.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s a bit older than me, he wasn\u2019t the \u2018let\u2019s go out for the night\u2019 type,\u201d Schneider said. \u201cHe\u2019s a family-oriented guy, loves his kids and wife, playing poker and fantasy football and that sort of thing. He stayed to himself otherwise because he was the most important guy on our team, and you want those guys to stay locked in.\u201d<\/p>\n