Canadian Press

9/14/2006 6:31:14 PM

VANCOUVER (CP) - Roberto Luongo has read some of the names etched on the tombstones in the Vancouver Canucks goaltender graveyard.

The list includes Dan Cloutier, Alex Auld, Kevin Weekes, Johan Hedberg, Bob Essensa, Garth Snow and Felix Potvin.

These ghosts of goaltenders past weren't haunting Luongo Thursday as he prepared for his first NHL training camp with the Canucks.

"I know what I can do and I'm here to do my job," said the 27-year-old Montreal native. "I can't help what happened here in the past.

"I'm very serious about the way I work and the way I play. I'm here to do my best and help this team get a Stanley Cup possibly."

The Canucks spent the morning doing medicals and fitness testing at GM Place. Players and coaches then boarded a bus in the afternoon and headed for the B.C. interior town of Vernon where camp will be held until Monday.

When Vancouver missed the playoffs last spring, general manager Dave Nonis tore the team apart. Acquiring Luongo from Florida in a blockbuster trade that sent winger Todd Bertuzzi, Auld and defenceman Bryan Allen to the Panthers was the foundation in rebuilding plan. Cloutier was later traded to Los Angeles.

"You know you have a piece of the puzzle you can build from," said Vancouver assistant GM Steve Tambellini.

"When Roberto became available to us the decision was made quite quickly that we were going to do what it takes to get this piece in our organization.

"We told Roberto we are going to work with him and build this team from him out. Our job now is to make sure we have the right supporting crew with him."

At six-foot-three and 205 pounds, Luongo is an imposing figure in goal. In 75 games with the Panthers last season, he had a 35-30-9 record with a 2.97 goals-against-average, a .914 save percentage and four shutouts.

Having him on the team provides a sense of security the Canucks lacked in the past.

"He has the ability to steal a game every night," said centre Brendan Morrison. "Having him back there is going to supply the rest of the team with a little more confidence.

"He's intimidating. When you look at him, there isn't a lot of net to shoot at. He gets in the head of opposing shooters and that gives us a leg up right away."

New head coach Alain Vigneault hopes to reduce Luongo's workload this year, playing him in between 65 and 70 games.

"I think that's a good number for us as far as getting him fresh and sharp in every game and making sure he's ready come the playoff games," said Vigneault, who replaced the fired Marc Crawford.

Luongo said making sure he has gas left in his tank for the post-season will be important.

"In Florida I played a lot of games and faced a lot of shots," he said. "That was taxing for me and my body.

"We are in a different situation here. The main thing is once the playoffs roll around, I'll be fresh and ready to go and not be tired."

It's not a given the Canucks will return to the playoffs.

Acquiring Luongo gives Vancouver the elite goaltender the team always wanted. But losing players like Bertuzzi, Anson Carter and Ed Jovanovski has also resulted in the Canucks giving up a lot of offensive punch.

Luongo isn't worried the pressure will be on him to win a lot of 2-1 and 3-2 games.

"If we look at the teams we had in Florida the last few years we were always looked at as one of the lowest scoring teams," said Luongo. "That's not something that is going to affect my play.

"I think we have a lot of guys with skill and who can score goals."

The post-season is also unknown territory for Luongo.

He has never played an NHL playoff game, but has proven on the international stage he can perform under pressure. He played on the Canadian team that won the 2004 World Cup and captured back-to-back gold medals when he starred in net for Team Canada at the 2003 and 2004 IIHF world championships.

"In talking with Roberto, he feels he has a lot to prove as far as him being a winner in this league," said Vigneault. "He's ready to go."

Luongo said he will use training camp to get to know his new teammates and work on technique.

He admits the early part of the season will be an adjustment for him as he adapts to the style and players in the NHL's Western Conference.

"In the Eastern Conference, I knew most of the guy's tendencies, what they like to do on the ice, where they like to shoot," Luongo said. "It's going to take a little bit of a while. The good thing is we play a lot of exhibition games. I get to see a lot of those teams and a lot of those players."