Vancouver Canucks' goalie Roberto Luongo wants to return to Florida Panthers -NHL offseason Update
In a rather strange and surprising change in the series of events, Vancouver Canucks’ veteran goalie, Roberto Luongo, is looking to be traded to the Florida Panthers and has declined all other options, according to rumours that emerged on Monday, June 25,
2012.
Florida Panthers would obviously not mind having a goalie of Luongo’s level on the club in order to boost their depth in front of the net by manifolds, but the problem that has every general manager thinking twice is his huge contract.
With 10 years remaining on his 12-year, $64 million deal, Luongo is not to be an unrestricted free agent until the 2021-2022 regular season is to come to an end and that is definitely a long time to go.
Toronto Maple Leafs were seen to be the first team that took interest in acquiring the goalie and according to many, had they wanted him, they would have taken him during the previous National Hockey League (NHL) Entry Draft weekend.
“Everybody focuses on the goalie part, but the most important part to me is the defensive part of the game,” Toronto Maple Leafs’ assistant general manager, Claude Loiselle, said during an interview on Sportsnet 590 The FAN. “With Randy Carlyle in place
now, we’re going to play a more defensive game and, as a result, we’ll help our goaltenders. We’re not going to be exposed, we’re not going to be giving up two-on-ones and odd-man situations.”
With an annual salary cap hit of $5.333 million, Toronto Maple Leafs, Florida Panthers and even the Chicago Blackhawks, who reported also have interest, would need to reserve a huge chunk of their finances in order to acquire the veteran goalie. This is
something they are having a hard time of planning out.
After being drafted as the fourth overall pick by New York Islanders back in 1997, Roberto Luongo played in five straight seasons before signing on with the Vancouver Canucks and leading them twice to the Presidents’ Trophy.
Roberto Luongo is definitely one of the most capable goalies in the league and has the potential of hoisting the Stanley Cup, but who will it be with is the million dollar question at the moment.
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