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With the Stanley Cup Final nearing completion and the NHL’s off-season right around the corner, the rumor mill is certainly heating up. While hardly one to add fuel to the fire when it comes to rumors, I have a hard time ignoring Eklund’s latest report that has the Tampa Bay Lightning listed as one of the favorites to land Roberto Luongo.
On Luongo...
First off can anyone imagine a world where Tortorella and Luongo co-exist? I feel the Canucks media would explode. That said, Florida and Tampa are very much leading the way...
It’s no secret that Roberto Luongo would love to return to the state of Florida. However, the question to ponder is whether or not the Lightning would be willing to orchestrate his return.
On the surface, the obvious answer is yes. Anyone who has watched the Lightning over the last couple of seasons (or since Nikolai Khabibulin’s departure if you’re that cynical) knows that the Lightning’s crease has been a source of many woes. By adding Anders Lindback, Ben Bishop, and Andrei Vasilevski, Steve Yzerman has at least been very proactive when it comes to shoring up his team’s biggest weakness. That being said, many in the hockey world wonder whether or not he’s done enough. Enter, Roberto Luongo.
Fans of the Lightning know Luongo intimately. For years, he stonewalled the Bolts as a member of the Panthers. Simply put, he’s a phenomenal talent and a guy who would certainly push the Lightning into the playoffs and perhaps even farther. That alone should be enough for Steve Yzerman to at least consider making a pitch for the Vancouver netminder.
As the Lightning sit idle waiting for next season to begin, there’s a real sense of change surrounding the organization. The ‘re-build’ seems to be nearing completion, and the team is right on the horizon of being very competitive once again. With core players like Steven Stamkos and Victor Hedman locked up and surrounded by a bounty of talent from the Tampacuse bunch, the future is very bright in Tampa Bay. That being said, there is a small sense of urgency to win now as Martin St. Louis and Vincent Lecavalier continue to get older. Not only would Roberto Luongo help the team win now, but he would also be a big help in the future.
Having Luongo around to complement Bishop, Lindback, and eventually Vasilevski would be fantastic. For anyone doubting that, look no further than his relationship with Cory Schneider in Vancouver. Realistically, Vasilevski is the goaltender of the future for the Lightning. He’s big, he’s mobile and he’s beyond athletic, but he’s not quite ready for National Hockey League action yet. With Luongo around to hold the fort until Vasilevski is ready, there would be little need for panic on the part of Lightning management.
So, as you can see, there is no doubt that Roberto Luongo would bring a lot of positives to the Lightning organization. With that said, it’s not as simple as saying that Roberto would look great in the Lightning crease. As much as most fans in Tampa would love Luongo the player, few want the hassle that would undoubtedly come with his contract. For those who have been living under a rock, here are the details. Luongo is signed to a twelve-year deal worth $64MM. While the cap hit ($5.33MM) is more than reasonable, the term is very concerning. With Vincent Lecavalier’s contract already on the books, adding Luongo’s would be incredibly difficult for both Yzerman and owner Jeff Vinik. As of this moment, the Lightning just don’t have that much cap space to work with. If the team is serious about adding Luongo, some major restructuring would need to occur.
Roberto’s contract is really the only negative that comes with acquiring him. As much as fans outside Vancouver love to harp on his record in the post-season, the reality is that he has the capability to carry a team deep into the spring. He’s a gold medal winning tender, an all-star tender, and arguably the best goaltender the state of Florida has ever seen. The contract may not be attractive but, if the cap rises as expected, it just might be manageable.
Because of that contract, the price to acquire Luongo would be minimal. Recall that Maple Leafs general manager Dave Nonis reportedly turned down a deal that would have sent two second round picks and Ben Scrivens to the Canucks for Luongo. A player is only worth as much as other teams are willing to pay. As of right now, that means that Roberto just isn’t worth a whole lot. To acquire him, the Lightning wouldn’t need to include Brett Connolly or the third overall pick. In all honesty, it would be a relatively painless transaction for the Lightning given that the Canucks have no choice but to make a deal this summer.
While I personally don’t expect this rumor to come to fruition, it’s at least intriguing to consider. At the end of the day, Bolts Nation needs to have faith that Steve Yzerman will do what’s best for this team both now and in the future. With a little bit of tinkering on the blue line, there is no doubt in my mind that Lindback and Bishop can form a formidable tandem next season. Both are young, talented goalies with bright futures ahead of them. Add to that the fact that those gentleman come with little-to-no cap headache, and it almost seems like a given that they will be manning the Lightning crease come next year.
Expecting Roberto Luongo and his contract to end up in Tampa is a little bit farfetched, but if he ever does end up in a Lightning jersey you can bet that I’ll be his number one supporter.
As always, thanks for reading.
Ottawa Senators Blogger • 
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