Vancouver Canucks goaltender Roberto Luongo has turned down the chance to play in the NHL All-Star game in order to spend time with his pregnant wife.

Luongo was voted in as the starting goalie for the Western Conference in this year's All-Star match which will take place in Atlanta on January 27.

"It was a tough decision for me to make. As a professional athlete I respect the All-Star Game and I enjoy going to it but at the same time my wife is in Florida, as she has been all year. It's a good chance to spend some quality time with her, something that I haven't done all year," said Luongo.

"The baby is doing fine, it's just a little bit of a delicate pregnancy and that's why she had to go back home; we're making sure she is taken care of by her family and her doctors. It hasn't been an easy situation to be apart and that's why I came to this decision.

"I look forward to playing in many more All-Star games and hopefully this won't affect that."

The Canucks have also given Luongo permission to miss their post-All-Star game against the Dallas Stars on January 29.

Reuters