Why should the Canucks take any salary back in a trade for Luongo? The whole reason to trade him is to rid themselves of the cap hit, not keep some of it.
- KB3Point0

What if letang was involved?

What if letang was involved?
- RF_4eva

Thats a very interesting situation. Edler Schnieder for Letang and a 1st.

If I'm Gillis and truly going to reset the team, I buy out Lu (unless a trade can be found that brings in a quality young player or pick), and trade Kesler and Bieksa. Those three guys gone is going to drastically change the culture inside the dressing room and on the ice. That leaves:

Sedin/Sedin/Burrows - Burrows is locked up, Sedin's have said they want to go year by year, so after next season perhaps they are looking at one year $6m or maybe a bit less.

Booth/ Sign-Draft-Acquire / Kassian - Keep Booth, if he is a bust again this year you can always buy him out next year, give Kassian a chance to actually contribute in an offence role.

Higgins / Schroeder / Hansen - Maybe Schroeder fits in on the second line and a "shut down" C is brought in to play the third. Maybe Schroeder doesn't fit at all and two C's are brought in.

A whole new 4th line, Sestito can be the 13th or 14th forward, of even play in Utica for all I care.

Edler / Garrison - becomes the new top pairing
Hamhuis / Corrado - Hamhuis played well with Tanev, he would be a good mentor for Corrado.
Ballard / Tanev - This pairing has worked in the past, Ballard has two more years, under the right circumstances I believe he can be successful.

Two budget signings on D

Schneider and Lack or other backup

Removing Kesler+Bieksa+Luongo makes tons of space for whatever the team wants to do in the future and changes the makeup and personality of the team in a drastic way.
- 1970vintage

Bieksa has a NTC - and I'd keep him over Ballard any day.

So much of a steal that he's being constantly shopped around the league
- TheJerseyDevil1

Oh really? Hmmm, interesting.

He'll get $6m from someone, I could see Tallon signing Vinny to a 3 year deal $18 million to fuk with his N. Fla neighbours
- 1970vintage

I better Montreal has the contract all written up. Still, I'd love to have him here. He's not the player he was but he's still a great competitor.

Leafs are getting Letang... As well as Clarkson and Ryan.
- Scooby_Doo

Very clever. Probably mad that a Pittsburgh reporter said Leafs would possible be his destination. Not LEAFS FANS. No one would want to play in Vancouver anyway. Keep LOU for the next decade as the backup.

Very clever. Probably mad that a Pittsburgh reporter said Leafs would possible be his destination. Not LEAFS FANS. No one would want to play in Vancouver anyway. Keep LOU for the next decade as the backup.
- Smurfs-A-Joke

But everyone wants to live here.

I better Montreal has the contract all written up. Still, I'd love to have him here. He's not the player he was but he's still a great competitor.
- micah555

Keep an eye on Smurf.

Wow. I don't even know where to start here.

When you have a franchise goalie, and the CBA allows for contracts to be signed in a certain way, and everyone wants to resign the best goalie your franchise has ever had, and he's in his prime, and you're trying to build a cup winning team, and your owner tells you to give him whatever he wants, you do it. The fact that the rules got changed years later does not change the fact that at the time it was a great contract for the Canucks. With the ability to just erase the last 3-4 years off his contract if he was to retire he would be very easy to trade today. The rules changed.

They wouldn't have got much for Schneider immediately after the cup run. Certainly not enough to trade him. If the biggest value in trading Schneider is that you don't have to buy out Luongo because Schneider is better, then just suck it up and buy out Luongo.

He should absolutely not have traded Luongo in any trade that required him to eat salary. There is absolutely no sense in it. There is certainly a bit of risk in the recapture penalties, but to add the additional salary (and cap hit) annually is just dumb. Way better off buying him out.

You're saying they're screwed. They are not. If they can't trade him they can buy him out.
- KB3Point0

The Sedin's also wanted 10 year contracts, did Gillis give those out?

The answer to that question is NO, he did what was best for the franchise, and they signed the contracts. Gillis could have done the same thing with Lu, he had the cap space to do it, but blew his load on Sundin. Gillis never wanted to sign a 12 year deal, his "excuse" after the Luongo/Sedin contracts was that its ok to sign a goalie to a lifetime contract but not a forward or defence man.

The GM's job is to anticipate the future and do what is best for the organization. Not anticipating that the NHL would close the cap circumvention loop holes in a sever way was short sighted.

Sure, they're not screwed, they can buy out Luongo, but they will never get what Gillis wants in trade, and the potential for their cap follies to come back and bite them on the butt is a very real risk, even if it is several years away.

And by the way, I know, it's pretty clear from the nonsense you continue to spout

I dont agree with your reason, but I do agree we need to keep him.
I believe he will be back better and as good as that 40 goal selke trophy winning year under torts.
Torts will push him and i think it will work out.
Only concern is him staying healthy and stoping wonderful academy award diving on the ice.
- RF_4eva

lol that's not my main reason. when healthy, i think he's every bit as good as toews or bergeron, and he proved that in 2011. he's a bargain that we can't just give away.

I better Montreal has the contract all written up. Still, I'd love to have him here. He's not the player he was but he's still a great competitor.
- micah555

I think at this point money might not be Vinny's primary motivation. If he like playing for Tortorella and feels that he makes the Canucks a serious contender, he could take a little less money to play in Vancouver. How about $4.75M for 4 years?

Bieksa has a NTC - and I'd keep him over Ballard any day.
- Canuckleafer

your opinion, Lu also has a NTC but here we are continuing to talk about trading him.

I think at this point money might not be Vinny's primary motivation. If he like playing for Tortorella and feels that he makes the Canucks a serious contender, he could take a little less money to play in Vancouver. How about $4.75M for 4 years?
- KB3Point0

OK, so who do they move in order to afford him?

Well Torts is a pretty big Luongo fan. Maybe Cory gets moved.
- IanEsplen

This would make me happy. I wouldn't be surprised if Cory goes a FA in 2 years time and we are really screwed.

The Sedin's also wanted 10 year contracts, did Gillis give those out?

The answer to that question is NO, he did what was best for the franchise, and they signed the contracts. Gillis could have done the same thing with Lu, he had the cap space to do it, but blew his load on Sundin. Gillis never wanted to sign a 12 year deal, his "excuse" after the Luongo/Sedin contracts was that its ok to sign a goalie to a lifetime contract but not a forward or defence man.

The GM's job is to anticipate the future and do what is best for the organization. Not anticipating that the NHL would close the cap circumvention loop holes in a sever way was short sighted.

Sure, they're not screwed, they can buy out Luongo, but they will never get what Gillis wants in trade, and the potential for their cap follies to come back and bite them on the butt is a very real risk, even if it is several years away.

And by the way, I know, it's pretty clear from the nonsense you continue to spout
- 1970vintage

So, now it's Gillis' fault for not knowing that the NHL would not only close the loophole, but create a penalty for those that signed those types of contracts? That's a huge stretch. You're blinded by your hatred of Gillis. You say they should have traded Schneider 2 years ago? Guess what, if they want they can still trade him now, and get a lot more for him than they would have 2 years ago.

I think at this point money might not be Vinny's primary motivation. If he like playing for Tortorella and feels that he makes the Canucks a serious contender, he could take a little less money to play in Vancouver. How about $4.75M for 4 years?
- KB3Point0

If you're saying $4.75 for all 4 years and not per year, then yes, he could be that 3rd line centre.

your opinion, Lu also has a NTC but here we are continuing to talk about trading him.
- 1970vintage

Because he asked to be traded. His NTC is also what prevented him from being traded last summer.

I think at this point money might not be Vinny's primary motivation. If he like playing for Tortorella and feels that he makes the Canucks a serious contender, he could take a little less money to play in Vancouver. How about $4.75M for 4 years?
- KB3Point0

Let rangers get vinny, sign Richards for 6 million for 2 years.

Keep an eye on Smurf.
- Marwood

Mom...Billy said a swear. Pathetic.

your opinion, Lu also has a NTC but here we are continuing to talk about trading him.
- 1970vintage

For sure it's my opinion - hence why I say I'd take Bieksa over Ballard.

We're talking about trading Lu because they can't afford him and he has been told he is no longer the starting goalie. He has also publicly stated that he wants out of Vancouver. It is a very different situation from a dman who has a decent contract and loves to play in this city. Especially considering Ballard's agent has publicly stated that the best solution for his client is a buyout.

It's looking more and more like the better hockey deal, the deal to most improve the Canucks, is trading Corey S. away and keeping Luongo. You could get player, pick and prospect for Schneids, maybe even cap relief (if you add Ballard to the deal). You can't even give away Luongo. And Luongo is still good enough to win you a cup, given the right team in front of him.

So, now it's Gillis' fault for not knowing that the NHL would not only close the loophole, but create a penalty for those that signed those types of contracts? That's a huge stretch. You're blinded by your hatred of Gillis. You say they should have traded Schneider 2 years ago? Guess what, if they want they can still trade him now, and get a lot more for him than they would have 2 years ago.
- KB3Point0

I don't hate Gillis, I think he's done a pretty good job, but this started when you said that he had not mis handled the Luongo situation and you are clearly wrong. Cowboy up.

And no, Gillis will not get a bigger payday for Schneider now because of how badly he handled Luongo. He has some serious work to do to get under the cap and ice a competitive team. I don't think trading Schneider is an option now, that bridge is burnt with Lu already.

OK, so who do they move in order to afford him?
- Canuckleafer

Luongo and Ballard either get traded or bought out (unless they trade one of their other $4.5M+ D-men). Trade Booth to make room for Vinny. Can't trade him immediately (due to injury) but they'll be allowed to go 10% over the cap and Booth'll be healthy enough to trade soon enough.

Don't forget Hamhuis, Samuelsson, Higgins, and Lapierre.

Hamhuis was much more important than Ehrhoff. Higgins and Lapierre were also excellent after they arrived that season. None of the additions cost a roster player, either.

That looks like adding depth to me. Which was possible because of the excellent contracts he got the Sedins, Kesler, and Burrows to sign.

We've been over this before—not sure how many more times it will take to get through...
- Fosco

Hamhuis was going to Vancouver no matter if you or I were the gm .... I don't give gillis much credit for that one....

For sure it's my opinion - hence why I say I'd take Bieksa over Ballard.

We're talking about trading Lu because they can't afford him and he has been told he is no longer the starting goalie. He has also publicly stated that he wants out of Vancouver. It is a very different situation from a dman who has a decent contract and loves to play in this city. Especially considering Ballard's agent has publicly stated that the best solution for his client is a buyout.
- Canuckleafer

Yes, but trading Bieksa could actually bring something of value in return, and if given the chance I think that Ballard could actually contribute. I think Ballard is the type of guy that Tortarella would really like, plays hard, does what is asked of him, will even drop the mitts with players much larger than him.