Anne-Marie Sorvin-USA TODAY Sports
As a new season approaches the million dollar question being asked is where is Roberto Luongo going?
Now that the NHL lockout has ended with the crossing of the T’s and dotting of the I’s. The league can finally get back to playing hockey once again, for the right price of course. Which leads me to ask what is the right price is for an NHL All Star like Luongo? Luongo happens to be a two time NHL All Star, he is currently playing for the Vancouver Canucks.
Although the Canucks have come close to winning a Stanley Cup they never captured the ultimate hockey title. As the old saying goes, “close only counts in horseshoes and handgranades.” The Canucks goaltender is currently signed to a 12 year deal reported to be worth $64 million over that time period.
There is still 10 years left on his current contractual deal with the hockey franchise. . Luongo had said in recent interviews that he is willing to wave his no trade clause if the right option comes along. The NHL teams rumored to be interested in the net minder are the Florida Panthers, Philadelphia Flyers, or NHL’s crown jewel of a hockey team the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Another option for #1 is to have Luongo honor his contract and finish his twelve year deal with the Cannucks. Luongo is no longer a starting goalie for the club. Cory Schneider has taking that role after the blue and green team was eliminated in the first round of the playoffs by the eventual Stanley Cup Champions the Los Angeles Kings last season.
After Vancouver was eliminated Luongo was demoted from starting goaltender to back up.
General Manager Mike Gillis is not feeling any pressure to trade Luongo. This season alone Bobby Lu stands to make $5.3 million and Schneider is penciled in to make $4 million
With 9.3 dollars being dealt to goaltenders it only leaves $55 million for the rest of the club. The previous cap was set at just over $70 million. The new corrective agreement sees that cap downsized from $70.2 million to $64.3 million.
The Toronto Maple are said to be the closet to obtain a deal with the Cannucks goaltender. Luongo has also said that he will wait as long as possible for the right deal to come along. That’s OK for Cannucks G.M. Mike Gillis who said, “I don’t feel any pressure to trade Roberto other than to make the team better.”
