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VANCOUVER — The Canadian Press Published on Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2008 1:52AM EST Last updated on Tuesday, Mar. 31, 2009 9:29PM EDT
The Vancouver Canucks added some goaltending insurance Tuesday, acquiring Jason Labarbera from the Los Angeles Kings for a seventh-round pick in the 2009 NHL entry draft.
Labarbera joins incumbents Curtis Sanford and Cory Schneider, who have been sharing goaltending duties since starter Roberto Luongo was placed on injured reserve Nov. 23 with a groin injury.
Luongo resumed skating on his own Tuesday, but isn't expected to be ready for game action for at least three weeks.
Sanford has assumed played the majority of games in Luongo's absence, and entered play Tuesday with a 7-6 record, a 2.43 goals-against average and a .913 save percentage.
Schneider, called up from the Manitoba Moose of the American Hockey League, has a 2-3-1 mark and an .866 save percentage.
The 28-year-old Labarbera went 5-8-4 with a 2.83 goals-against average, an .893 save percentage and two shutouts in 18 games with the Kings this season. The Burnaby, B.C., native was deemed expendable with the improved play of Jonathan Quick, who recorded a pair of shutouts for Los Angeles last week.
Labarbera, taken by the New York Rangers in the third round of the 1998 draft, has a 34-42-8 record with a 3.00 goals-against average, .901 save percentage and four shutouts in 98 career games with the Rangers and Kings. He'll make US$850,000 this season, and is set to become an unrestricted free agent July 1.
Labarbera is expected to join the Canucks in Nashville, where they are scheduled to play the Predators on Thursday.
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