I am so going to get my butt in trouble at work, but I can't hold out any longer. I know you guys probably want to talk about it.

I all started with innocent tweets out of TSN's Bob McKenzie. Normally he NEVER tweets about the Islanders, but today, he just started a fire.




Bob McKenzie ‏@TSNBobMcKenzie 27m
It's believed NYI would, under right circumstances, have interest in VAN G Roberto Luongo, tho 1st order of biz is to gauge cost on Nabokov.

1. Bob McKenzie ‏@TSNBobMcKenzie 13m
BTW, NYI are not "tolling" contract of G Tim Thomas. That means his NHL contract expires this summer and is UFA with no obligation to anyone

1. Bob McKenzie ‏@TSNBobMcKenzie 22m
No question in my mind Luongo is a good "hockey" fit for NYI but whether Isles or Canucks could ever finesse a workable deal is the issue.
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2. Bob McKenzie ‏@TSNBobMcKenzie 23m
DiPietro's buyout is steep, $1.5M per year for next 16 years, not to be confused with Luongo's buyout #s: a shade over $1.5M x 18 years.

3. Bob McKenzie ‏@TSNBobMcKenzie 25m
Nabokov is UFA. As for circumstances on Luongo, almost goes without saying it would mean VAN taking Rick DiPietro for compliance buyout.

Whhhhaaaattt?

Which then earned some pretty funny tweets back:

1. Matt Clausen ‏@mattclausen 8m
Though it would be hilarious if the two guys the compliance buyout clause was written for are traded for each other. #Isles #Nucks

1. Adam Proteau ‏@Proteautype 9m
Of course, that trade would mean Mike Gillis taking some responsibility for his role in Luongo's contract. He can't insist on "equal value".

1. Dan Saraceni ‏@cultureoflosing 6m
Tinfoil hat time: #Isles-Luongo chatter is a Snow-initiated smokescreen to force Anaheim into trading Jonas Hiller to Long Island.

But none so funny as the Tweet from Roberto himself:

1. Strombone ‏@strombone1 3m
@TSNBobMcKenzie only if I could bring my partner in crime! pic.twitter.com/zGil9xqF44

As of this moment, the NY Islanders have not responded to my inquiry. I doubt they will.

As BD Gallof has mentioned, this could be a very clever smoke screen to drive the price of Nabokov down or perhaps something that Vancouver itself is tossing around the room.

Either way, it's chatter for a Thursday evening before heading home.

Which I'm doing.

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