Roberto Luongo ready to drop the "C"

For weeks after the season, Roberto Luongo grappled with whether he wanted to remain the Vancouver Canucks captain.

He's expected to announce his decision in September when he arrives in Vancouver and meets with GM Mike Gillis for the first time since the spring.

"We decided to wait until I see him in September," said Gillis, who scrapped his original plan to meet with Luongo in July. "We're going to have a discussion about it and see where he's at. It's going to be a combination of input."

The most likely scenario is Luongo will give up his 'C.' Recent speculation has Henrik Sedin, the Hart Trophy winner, replacing him based on logic, if not sources.

The question then is why would Luongo choose to step down? He is the one who had a 'C' painted on his goalie mask when the league told him a goalie couldn't wear one on his jersey. He's the first Vancouver Canucks captain in 16 years to lead the team to the second round in consecutive seasons. And he told the Canucks in last season's exit meeting he "loves being captain."

But, at the same time, Luongo expressed frustration at the end of the year with "the other stuff." The distractions. He already vowed he will no longer talk to the media the morning of games.

Luongo said in May: "You want to be focused on the game and stopping the puck."

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