Leafs and Canucks talking Luongo again
by Damian Cox, The Toronto Star
Although the chatter may continue for some time, the Jarome Iginla saga is finally, mercifully, over. Now surely it has to be Roberto Luongo’s turn to make his exit.
Or maybe not.
As has been the case for 11 months, ever since it became clear the Vancouver Canucks intended to hand the No. 1 goaltending job to Cory Schneider, it’s clear all roads for Luongo’s exodus out of British Columbia logically lead to Toronto.
Which is probably why talks between the Canucks and Maple Leafs quietly resumed this week after weeks of silence between the two teams.
That doesn’t mean a deal is at hand, although it’s believed Vancouver GM Mike Gillis is no longer demanding the likes of Nazem Kadri or Jake Gardiner in a proposed trade. Gillis has a troubling hole to fill at centre and Tyler Bozak remains a comfortable fit.
Complicating matters, however, or perhaps giving the Leafs leverage they didn’t have before, is that GM Dave Nonis has viable options other than the veteran Vancouver netminder that he didn’t have before.
A great deal has changed, in other words, since the teams first discussed a possible Luongo swap last June. The tandem of James Reimer and Ben Scrivens, for starters, has played very well for the most part, and Nonis could clearly go with that pair into the post-season should the Leafs make it. For insurance, he could acquire an affordable, older goalie.
Nonis also could, if he desires a more experienced and accomplished goaltender, take a run at Calgary’s Miikka Kiprusoff, a quality puckstopper who wasn’t even thought to be available just weeks ago but may be now. To land Kiprusoff, the Leafs would have to strike a deal with embattled Flames GM Jay Feaster—a draft pick seems the likely price, and not a first rounder — and Kiprusoff would have to be convinced to leave Calgary and finish his career elsewhere.
The Finnish goalie comes with a $5.8-million cap hit but only a $1.5-million salary in the final year of his contract next season. He and his wife recently had a premature baby, and while health concerns about mother and child have apparently eased in recent days, Kiprusoff simply may not want to uproot himself at this time.
The Leafs, however, could potentially offer the 36-year-old a contract extension of one or two years to sweeten the pot, which would still save millions compared with absorbing Luongo’s massive contract.
Finally, there’s Phoenix goalie Mike Smith. The 31-year-old Smith has been bothered by a concussion since he was belted last week by Vancouver’s Alex Edler. It’s not clear whether the Coyotes are inclined to move him before next Wednesday’s trade deadline, although they may miss the playoffs.
Smith will be an unrestricted free agent July 1, which puts pressure on Phoenix GM Don Maloney to get something for him now.
So that’s four potential options; Reimer-Scrivens, Luongo, Kiprusoff and Smith. Long gone are the days when Luongo, who turns 34 next Thursday, seemed the only alternative for a Leaf team that hasn’t made the playoffs since 2004.
Kiprusoff, if he were to agree to report to a new team, would probably be the top choice for the Leafs because of his experience compared with Reimer and Scrivens and affordability in both salary and assets.
The Calgary fire sale started with Iginla going to Pittsburgh in controversial circumstances late Wednesday, and both Kiprusoff and defenceman Jay Bouwmeester are likely to be the subject of trade talks.
Going with the two current Leaf goalies, meanwhile, would allow Nonis to keep all of his roster players including Bozak, and not create a hole in his lineup just to bolster his goaltending.
Luongo, then, might now be the third option, but he has played well this season, has playoff experience and must still be appealing to the Leafs if the right deal is there. The MLSE board has already approved the addition of a long-term contract the size of Luongo’s, which runs until 2022 with an annual $5.33-million cap hit, as well as $40.6-million owed in actual salary.
Few teams can handle that contract, and fewer still will want Luongo this summer with the cap going down. The Leafs might still have to sacrifice Bozak, but could demand that Vancouver pay a chunk of Luongo’s contract for next year and beyond and refuse to surrender other assets.
Luongo has sat for six consecutive games as Schneider has taken over the Vancouver crease, and his save percentage is worse than either Reimer or Scrivens.
If the Canucks ever thought they had the Leafs over a barrel on a possible Luongo transaction, they certainly don’t now.
Which could be what finally makes a deal happen.
Leafs & Canucks talking Luongo again
I'm hoping the Leafs stay put with their current goaltending. Both Reimer & Scrivens have performed very well for the team, and they're still very young (and affordable). Luongo will be 34 in a few days and has a nearly untradeable contract, with 10 years left on it. Even though he has more experience, i don't think he brings much more to the table than the current two goalies do. I'd rather the Leafs hold on to Tyler Bozak for the playoffs run than trade him for Luongo, even if it means Bozak bolting to free agency once his season ends. He's a big part of the current Leafs success.
