Category Archives: Vancouver Canucks
Martinek rejoins the Islanders, The latest on Thomas and What is going on with the Canucks Centers
Check out these three NHL news tidbits
Radek Martinek rejoins Islanders
Thomas wants to play … next season
Gallagher: Canucks need to settle the second line centre question
Roberto Luongo conducting himself with absolute class as his departure nears
When Roberto Luongo leaves the Canucks, he will depart as the city’s greatest-ever goaltender.
When he is traded, he will leave with a gold medal, two shutouts in the Stanley Cup final, and a resume which says “Hart Trophy finalist.”
He will leave with at least 13 more wins and 13 more shutouts than Kirk McLean — and that’s in 130 fewer Canucks games.
Dave Nonis says goaltending is team’s No. 1 priority
Despite singing the praises of James Reimer and Ben Scrivens, newly appointed Toronto Maple Leafs GM Dave Nonis said he won’t hesitate to make a move via trade if either goaltender fails to impress early in the season.
One day after taking over from Brian Burke, who was fired by the team on Wednesday, Nonis appeared on Hockey Night in Canada Radio with hosts Gord Stellick and Scott Oake to discuss, among several issues, the Leafs’ No. 1 priority: goaltending.
Luongo’s Top 5 Saves
for those of you who don’ t think that Luongo would help your team … watch this video
Four reasons why Flyers would consider Luongo
Interesting Flyers in Luongo rumors now. Reliable source told me prior to Burke firing they would be 3rd team in a 3-way trade for Lou to TO
— Jimmy Murphy (@MurphysLaw74) January 10, 2013
Nonis will ABSOLUTELY make a strong push to get Roberto Luongo from Vancouver. Take that to the bank.
— Damien Cox (@DamoSpin) January 9, 2013
Ok … Leaf fans. The question from HTR is … Do you really want Luongo? What would you give up to get him?
Vandermeer, Barker could provide blueline depth for Canucks
Jim Vandermeer and Cam Barker played for the Chicago Blackhawks during the 2006-07 season. Now the unrestricted free agents are playing a waiting game.
Barker is trying to play his way back into the NHL via a professional tryout with the Vancouver Canucks and Vandermeer is hoping the Presidents’ Trophy winners see him as a depth defenceman. With a back end that consists of Dan Hamhuis, Kevin Bieksa, Alex Edler, Jason Garrison, Keith Ballard, Chris Tanev and Andrew Alberts, there’s a real need for a dependable No. 8 because a condensed 48-game season will expose everyone to a heightened risk of injury in a sprint toward the playoffs.
THIS N’ THAT – Bruce Garrioch Ottawa Sun
THIS N’ THAT
If the Toronto Maple Leafs are going to deal for Roberto Luongo they’re going to have to sweeten the pot. League sources say Leafs GM Brian Burke and his Canucks counterpart Mike Gillis haven’t spoken about the possibility of a Luongo trade since September. Contrary to popular belief, Gillis isn’t going to give Luongo to the Leafs just to get the goalie’s $5.3 million cap hit off the roster. It’s believed the Canucks want good prospects in return and Burke might not be prepared for that kind of deal. Luongo won’t be dealt to the Florida Panthers, which is where he really wants to go, unless they, too, sweeten the pot. The asking price: A player who can help the Canucks immediately, a top prospect and a draft pick in exchange. It would make sense for Gillis and Burke to get together … Two defencemen getting raises: You’d have to think, depending on the length of the deal, that Montreal Canadiens blueliner P.K. Subban will get a contract with a salary in the area of $5.5 million while New York Rangers defenceman Michael Del Zotto will get around $4 million. Both are restricted free agentss. Habs GM Marc Bergevin spoke with Subban’s agent Don Meehan on Monday. Del Zotta spent part of last year in the minors and doesn’t have quite the same bargaining power as Subban.
http://www.ottawasun.com/2013/01/07/nhl-has-lots-of-work-to-do-before-games-return
Roberto Luongo-to-Maple Leafs gaining momentum
After leaving the Toronto organization to become the assistant general manager of the Montreal Canadiens, Rick Dudley claimed the Maple Leafs, with the same roster they had last spring, would be a playoff team if they had solid goaltending.
Roberto Luongo certainly would fit that bill. And, amidst all this Luongo-to-Toronto speculation, this could very well be a case of “where there’s smoke, there’s fire.”
http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Hockey/NHL/Toronto/2013/01/06/20476201.html
Leafs, Roberto Luongo rumours already swirling
Goaltender Roberto Luongo issued a tweet on Sunday that said: “So (what) do we do now?”
Many Toronto fans may be asking the same question after months of speculation over whether the veteran goaltender with the 12-year contract will be joining the Maple Leafs from the Vancouver Canucks for the lockout-shortened NHL season.
Toronto D-man Gardiner too valuable to flip
When the Roberto Luongo rumour mill went into full churn, promising Toronto defenceman Jake Gardiner knew who to lean on.
Who better than Luke Schenn?
Wait, a minute, Schenn did get traded.
“Sure, but it took four years,” Gardiner said. “He had rumours from the first time he got to Toronto. He had four years of it.
“I talked to him and he said, ‘Rumours are going to happen. You have to push them off. You can’t can’t ever worry about it.’”
From that point, Gardiner hasn’t, and with good reason.
Since a mid-season sag that saw him sit seven consecutive games in January, there hasn’t been a lot for Gardiner to be concerned about.
Even the rumours have been an ego stroke. The Canucks wanted him in a Luongo trade. His skating and transition game fit Vancouver’s attack like a longboard suits a hipster. The Leafs responded with their position that they can’t possibly give him up.
“I’m happy Toronto wants me, I don’t want to leave,” Gardiner said.
Landing in Toronto amidst Leafs’ goalie dysfunction might drive Luongo nuts
Gillis was also asked recently about his relationship with Burke, and said they get along “well enough” to pull the trigger on this thing.
It just re-affirmed what many have thought for months — the Leafs make the most sense. But what would that mean for Luongo? If he is struggling in October will assistant GM Dave Nonis be knocking on his door to go over paddle-down techniques?
If there is encouraging news for Luongo, it’s that before the CBA expired at least one mystery team, and maybe two, entered the Luongo sweepstakes. Team Mysterious wasn’t one of the ones that had previously been attached to a Luongo trade in rumours, so scratch Columbus off your list along with the obvious ones.
The Edmonton Oilers were floated as the potential suitor in question, and on some levels it makes a lot of sense. Nikolai Khabibulin will be 40 in January, and just may retire if this season is wiped out. Devan Dubnyk has improved slowly over the years, and shown some promise. But he’s hardly a sure thing as a No. 1 goalie in the NHL and there is no prospect behind him anywhere near ready to push for playing time.
For most, there’s no doubt Luongo would help the emerging Oilers. Maybe even make them a playoff team. And there’s the rub. What makes sense for Edmonton, probably doesn’t for the Canucks, depending, of course, on the offer.
But it’s not an easy decision for the Canucks, if you believe Luongo would accelerate the re-build program in Edmonton, making the division that much tougher, that much sooner.
Plus, Justin Schultz may have chosen Edmonton. That’s one thing. Would Luongo ever do the same?