The Roberto Luongo plot thickens.
But are the Maple Leafs still the frontrunner? Not if what Canucks general manager Mike Gillis is saying is true.
Gillis told the Vancouver Sun that the team has a potential deal in place involving the veteran goaltender.
The mystery team is “not who anybody thinks it is,” Gillis said.
Many observers have assumed that Luongo will wind up with the Leafs at some point. But Gillis, apparently, is pointing the speculation in another direction.
Centres Tyler Bozak and Nazem Kadri and a second-round draft pick have been in the bulk of rumours involving the Leafs and Canucks.
Bozak is due to be an unrestricted free agent this summer, but there is scuttlebutt that he could sign an extension with Toronto.
And let’s face it, when Kadri has scored two of the Leafs’ first three goals and coach Randy Carlyle has been pumping his tires, it would be hard to see him go west in trade.
Gillis told the Vancouver Sun that he is not seeing any offers that he likes.
“We’ve been offered packages that don’t fit what our plan is, what we need,” Gillis said. “(Teams would offer) excess salary coming back with a (throw-in) player who can’t play in our lineup. They say, ‘OK, we’ll do this, but you’ve got to take this.’ Well, we’re not taking it. We’ve had lots of proposals like that with good pieces that can help us but the other part doesn’t help us, and oftentimes they have term attached to them, so we’d just be turning around and buying out a guy.
“I’d rather keep the guy we know, who’s a good person.”
Luongo has said in the past he would waive his no-trade clause. It’s known he would not mind going back to the Florida Panthers. Still, don’t count the Leafs out just yet. As much as Gillis might be indicating it’s another team at the top of the list, Toronto still could be the place where Luongo winds up.
Categories: General
He is washed up and it would be a huge mistake if the Leafs trade anyone for Luongo. Has anyone seent the way he has played the last few years? He has lost his confidence and edge.
Why should the Leafs take a goaltender who couldn’t win with a great team infront of him. What are we to do with a beached whale and our defense????
Luongo???No! No! No! not at the cost of Kadri and Bozak – no damn way should we give up on those two guys – Luongo has seen better days and is not the answer to Leaf problems.
Thank you for NOT making this a “Sun +” article.
Meanwhile, fingers crossed Leafs don’t fritter away their future on a has-been choke artist …
To whom it may concern:
After last night’s game, to which I attended, the Leafs are in DIRE need of Luongo’s infinite talent as an extremely highly skilled goal tender!!! Their young goaltenders have great skills, but each of them need a Longo to tutor them over a year or two at the very least!!! Bruce McFarlane, Waterloo, Ontario.
Gillis and Vigneault are so arrogant it is pretty funny as neither one has won anything. Gillis is getting frustrated with having Luongo in Vancouver so he is trying to protect himself and create demand for an over paid goalie. Good luck with that
Don’t stress about Luongo. Leafs have a 1.50 GAA why would they need a goalie upgrade now. As long as BJ Scrivens and his backup Reimer are playing well no need to change.
Luongo wants to be closer to his wife and her family in Florida. Toronto is a bit closer and nearer to his family in Montreal. It’s early in the season, eventually some team will feel a need for a goalie upgrade and will offer the Canucks something decent for him.
The Canucks Management should attempt to be professional and stop flapping their gums, let Luongo play his game and help the team to get some W’s so long as he is considered an important part of the team. Anyone who says or believes that we should give up stellar assets to get a tender who could not win a cup with the best team in the league for two straight years is a fool. Leafs management would be wise to stay away from the whole situation (fiasco) involving Luongo, and instead focus on developing the assets we already have in the system. Luongo is close to reaching his expiry date as a premier tender and would waste salary cap space that would be better spent on getting/developing better forwards/defenders.
While I definitely do want to see the Leafs mortgage the future for Luongo, I can’t understand why people label him washed up and/or a choke artist when he had top-5 to 10 #’s over the last couple of years in both save % & GAA. And did everyone forget that he has one an Olympic Gold, World Cup & World Championship.
As for getting him to tutor the currrent young Leaf netminders that might make sense if he did’t have 10 years & over 60 million left on his contract.
Just stay the course with what we have & see where that gets us. Afterall, let’s face it, we aren’t winning a Stanley Cup this year not matter who is in net
Vancouver is in Jail with Luongo. Gillis is just spinning his wheels here. He has a major problem, Sure Luongo could help someone, but they would have to be really desparate to take on that contract and its obvious that no one is taking the plunge. I have felt all along that if he gets ANYTHING AT ALL, he should take it. Never mind all this bs. The contract and the age make this guy almost untradeable, Now if he wants to wait till someone gets desparate, then thats that the chance he is taking, As far as Leafs go, my position would be, because we have boatloads of money, we will take him off your hands and suffer the financial problems he creates but I would give them absolutely nothing, period.
No worries. Nonis will not be trading Kadri in a Luongo package, and may not give up Bozek either. He has made it clear that he will not trade young players/prospects for veterans, especially if the veteran saddles them with a bad contract. Remember Ryan Getzlaf and Cory Perry!
Im absolutely amazed at the mentality of Toronto hockey fans..Just a little over that of a Wambat ( an australian animal ) and not too bright..For months they rant and rave, never go to another game, never watch one on tv or listen to one on the radio…They hated Betman hated the players hated everyone to do with the game…
Didnt take much to get them to fill the arena on Monday , a free hockey practice and a couple of sweaters, WOW…
Now after only two games they are back giving their advice on how to win and who to trade for..Man I sure hope these armchair morons look both ways before crossing a street….What did P,T. Barnham say ? There is a sucker born every minute,,,and they all live in Toronto
I don’t know, seems like a 40 year old goalie playing for NJ is doing ok. BTW the Canucks have won two President’s trophies, maybe nothing to brag about, but what have the Leafs won lately.
The Leafs are a possible threat for a cup run in 2-3 years if everything goes their way (acquire a #1 center, stud defense man, improved size up front…). Lu might steal a few games every season during this ramp up period, but at what cost and to what point. What are the odds that a 33 year old is going to make it to 41 and still be a star in this league. I can think of only one who ever did it in the modern NHL. (Brodeur?) The cost of this illogical gamble is another 8? years of 5+ million cap hit just when the cap is going down, and losing a potential future star in a Kadri or Gartner and Bozak as trade bait. What replacements do we have in the organization for these guys. A further cost of a few stolen wins is to select further down (more poorly) in the draft during his brief career here. No thanks. When and if the Leafs are ready for a run, Lu will probably be washed up and the organization cap strapped to get that one rent a player who would put them over the top. Bad move all around.
If the Leafs want a veteran goalie to be a “tutor”, Luongo is not the man. The guy is a bit of a loner and after his experience with Cory Schneider I’m pretty sure he would be wary of teaching anything to his backups. Please roll with the kids, if it gets horrible go get a Martin Gerber, or some other twilight veteran, who won’t screw up your chance of drafting Seth or Nathan.
It makes zero sense to trade for Luongo – Right now. Sure the Leafs need to upgrade their goaltending to improve as a hockey team however not at the expense of their young talent. Let’s see what the kids can do this season. If we make the playoffs – BONUS, if we don’t, we don’t. We’ll get another good piece at the draft.
Getting Luongo would be a MAJOR mistake. I wouldn’t take him on for free, I can’t see how any team would want his salary especially in today’s cap world.
Let this problem remain Vancouver’s problem.
No to Loungo…..
and to the comment above by Douglas Coffey…are you amazed as well by the sold out crowd at the Ottawa Sens home opener???
Gillis says Nonis and the Media are stirring stories and then the moron does the same. If he wants the moon he wont get it simple as that. Good for Leafs to not give in (NO Jake,Kadri,) Let someone else take Luongo if Gillis doesnt come down and take some salary back. LOL Gillis talks about players that have been offered and complains about terms attached to some players coming back. Guess he forgot the terms that come with Luongo -10 years left on a 33 year old. 2 goals on 12 shots in relief of Cory is not even good enough for a backup in the NHL. Like Gary Roberts said “Gillis your a idiot”
This guy is indeed at the end of his career and it would be a mistake to take on this contract and at the expense of giving up the young talent that the Leafs have amassed. Its a 48 game schedule and give Scrivens and Reimer a shot. If they don’t deliver pick up some veteran help in the summer. The Leafs appear on the way to building a young contending team in 1-3 years…don’t blow it up. Futhermore, in the summer they can sign a free agent center if Bozak does nbot deliver…lets hope Lupul is not out for more than a couple of weeks