The list of possible destinations is limited and if there is no bargaining war then you may have to give him to a team simply willing to take that contract. He can't return to Vancouver so there is little leverage, unfortunately, for you guys.
- dawgzhouse

People keep assuming this, but none of the 3(Gillis, Luongo and Schneider) have ever stated anything that would indicate this. Luongo has yet to even be asked to waive his NTC, something tells me that MG is perfectly fine with starting the season with both goalies until a team is desperate enough to offer him a good deal. We are 5 mil under the cap with almost a full roster right now(only key RFA is Raymond).

I am hearing it is really high. It'll get done.. and hopefully sooner rather than later. This isn't something you want dragging on closer to the season.
- Panthers88

I really hope so, but part of me thinks Gillis is too stubborn to flinch. I honestly don't think it is the worst scenario to have them both start the year. Lots of cap space for two goalies, but the only UFA that I want them to go after is Doan (a pipe dream, I know), and they can clear space in other ways.

The only gamble with having both goalies start the season on the Canucks is if the band-aid solutions some teams will go with actually work out. If they don't, GM's will panic and up their offer for Luongo, and Lou's list of teams might grow.

First off Dan, FINALLY YOU BLOG AGAIN!!!! Jeez! Also, I hear that Raymond would be coming back in a Luongo trade any way. I'm so tired of talking about the trade scenario's though, too be honest.

Love the addition of Parros. Love Kuba. Since Huberdeau cannot be sent to the AHL, and has nothing to prove in the Juniors, he will be in the NHL next season. I cannot wait. Howden I think starts the year in the AHL. But he will be the first injury call up. Bjugstad, is a 50/50 split. If he doesn't go back to school, I think he starts in the AHL but he has a decent shot of making the roster out of camp.

I really hope we aren't done making moves yet. Even with Huberdeau, if this roster stands pat we don't make the playoffs next season. I understand we have a "blueprint" to follow, but if we do not make the playoffs next season there is going to be a large drop off in the fan base. Should all be fun. Also, Dan, I'm thinking upper management has some concerns about Markstrom. Do you get these feelings as well?
- Panthers88

I really hope we aren't done making moves yet.

No way, on the contrary. We have a ton of cap space to fill in. So, while it's not gonna be anything close to last season, it's still going to be interesting.

I am hearing it is really high. It'll get done.. and hopefully sooner rather than later. This isn't something you want dragging on closer to the season.
- Panthers88

No they don't or the offers will become even less appealing.

The list of possible destinations is limited and if there is no bargaining war then you may have to give him to a team simply willing to take that contract. He can't return to Vancouver so there is little leverage, unfortunately, for you guys.
- dawgzhouse

I see where you're going with this but I don't completely agree.

First, Lu can stay with the Canucks and be traded in-season. Obviously this is not preferable but it is completely do-able.

Second, leverage works both ways. Toronto needs a goalie bad and there's no clear Starter available in free agency at this point.

I am pretty confident that there is a market for him, although his contract term will make the return moderate.

unfortunately, you might have to give him away.
- dawgzhouse

Give him away? It seems Gillis can't even do that.

People keep assuming this, but none of the 3(Gillis, Luongo and Schneider) have ever stated anything that would indicate this. Luongo has yet to even be asked to waive his NTC, something tells me that MG is perfectly fine with starting the season with both goalies until a team is desperate enough to offer him a good deal. We are 5 mil under the cap with almost a full roster right now(only key RFA is Raymond).
- Nucker101

You benched him mid-playoffs when he wasn't the problem. You signed Schneider to a 3 year deal that signalled he was the starter. Can he really be a back-up after this history? Can you afford to keep that salary when you have other needs? Do you not need to start the season 'fresh'? He can't return.

I see where you're going with this but I don't completely agree.

First, Lu can stay with the Canucks and be traded in-season. Obviously this is not preferable but it is completely do-able.

Second, leverage works both ways. Toronto needs a goalie bad and there's no clear Starter available in free agency at this point.

I am pretty confident that there is a market for him, although his contract term will make the return moderate.
- Go Canucks

I don't disagree with any of your points. What happens though, if by a virtual miracle, Reimer or Scrivens are hot for the first two months? Having him in Vancouver at the start of the season diminishes the possiblility of even a moderate return, imo.

I don't disagree with any of your points. What happens though, if by a virtual miracle, Reimer or Scrivens are hot for the first two months? Having him in Vancouver at the start of the season diminishes the possiblility of even a moderate return, imo.
- dawgzhouse

But if the Leafs struggle out of the gate, the inverse applies.

Clearly Gillis wants to move him in order to know what players are coming back + to avoid a toxic cloud hanging over the team. But if no decent offers are forthcoming this summer, I don't foresee a Blackhawk-style firsesale. Gillis is very patient.

I could be wrong. Should be an interesting summer.

Having Parros in the Southeast will make some of our matchups a little more interesting. Carolina doesn't have anybody of that stature on their current roster.

I also think it will be Arnott.

Grimaldi had a knee injury that cost him most of last season at UND. As for school troubles, I had heard someone theorize that elsewhere but I have not heard as much from any verifiable sources, did you? If so thats interesting, wonder (if that is so) what the issue is?

I think Luongo hates Gillis right now, and the Nuck fans who have scapegoated him have turned him against the whole market. There is no doubt he is a sensitive guy with a fragile ego which leads me to believe that while Gillis trys to regain an upper hand on this, the cat is out of the bag and his market value has collapsed. On the one hand it is hard to beleive that Lu would want anything to do with the hyper-crazy Toronto market, on the other hand Burke and his "stand-by-his-man-through-thick-and-thin" attititude may be attractive to Lu after what he has been through with Gillis. Gillis should have just kept his mouth shut and he'd still have an upper-hand. Ultimately it seems his market value and possible return are virtually destroyed.

Shore had a very nice playoffs with San Antonio, look forward to see what he does at camp....

Not sure why there are so many anti-Luongo people on these boards. He's a great goalie and he comes at a very reasonable cap hit. The term on his deal sucks but who the (frank) cares it's front loaded anyways.

I'd be extremely happy if the Sharks got him through a trade for the right price.

Also if the other GMs try to low ball Gillis I'm sure he'd be more than happy to play next year with the 1-2 punch of Lou - Schneids. Schneids probably wouldn't sign again unless Lou was dealt but that would give Gillis until the 2016 season to deal Lou

Not sure why there are so many anti-Luongo people on these boards. He's a great goalie and he comes at a very reasonable cap hit. The term on his deal sucks but who the (frank) cares it's front loaded anyways.

I'd be extremely happy if the Sharks got him through a trade for the right price.

Also if the other GMs try to low ball Gillis I'm sure he'd be more than happy to play next year with the 1-2 punch of Lou - Schneids. Schneids probably wouldn't sign again unless Lou was dealt but that would give Gillis until the 2016 season to deal Lou
- FinAddict

Totally agree...Vancouver got to Game 7 of the Stanley Cup finals with him despite their inability to score goals in the playoffs (which is their real problem, not Luongo). What happened this year with Schneider in his playoff games? He couldn't save Vancouver either so how come Vancouver fans aren't dumping on Schneider?

Totally agree...Vancouver got to Game 7 of the Stanley Cup finals with him despite their inability to score goals in the playoffs (which is their real problem, not Luongo). What happened this year with Schneider in his playoff games? He couldn't save Vancouver either so how come Vancouver fans aren't dumping on Schneider?
- jimbri

I wouldn't feel confident using Schneider as the #1 just yet if I were a 'Nucks fan. He's played 58 games in the past two seasons. He has shown he is a great goalie, no doubt about that, but who knows what doubling his workload will do to him.

I'd keep Lou and trade Schneids if I were Gillis. Lou is a very good goalie and a proven #1, and you would get a better return for Schneider as well.

I also think it will be Arnott.

Grimaldi had a knee injury that cost him most of last season at UND. As for school troubles, I had heard someone theorize that elsewhere but I have not heard as much from any verifiable sources, did you? If so thats interesting, wonder (if that is so) what the issue is?

I think Luongo hates Gillis right now, and the Nuck fans who have scapegoated him have turned him against the whole market. There is no doubt he is a sensitive guy with a fragile ego which leads me to believe that while Gillis trys to regain an upper hand on this, the cat is out of the bag and his market value has collapsed. On the one hand it is hard to beleive that Lu would want anything to do with the hyper-crazy Toronto market, on the other hand Burke and his "stand-by-his-man-through-thick-and-thin" attititude may be attractive to Lu after what he has been through with Gillis. Gillis should have just kept his mouth shut and he'd still have an upper-hand. Ultimately it seems his market value and possible return are virtually destroyed.

Shore had a very nice playoffs with San Antonio, look forward to see what he does at camp....
- clarkey

Dale Tallon stated he was not at camp due to school reasons, it was nothing injury related.

You benched him mid-playoffs when he wasn't the problem. You signed Schneider to a 3 year deal that signalled he was the starter. Can he really be a back-up after this history? Can you afford to keep that salary when you have other needs? Do you not need to start the season 'fresh'? He can't return.
- dawgzhouse

1. Schneider has said countless times that he's happy with sharing the crease with Luongo if that's what the team decides to do and that the team didn't make him any promises.

2. Neither will be a true starter or backup if we keep both for this season, it will be close to a 50-50 split like the Blues did this past season.

3. As I stated, we still have 5 mil in cap space and we have 7 NHL D-Man under contract and all of our forwards are signed other than Raymond(who will make around 2 mil or less). We'd like a top 6 forward or 3rd line center, but this team is still a contender. Maybe Malhotra will regain his form with a full off-season and become a decent 3LC or perhaps Lappy will step up and take the role. Higgins or Raymond aren't ideal 2nd line wingers, but one of them will likely play with Kesler and Booth unless an upgrade is made.

Bottom Line: Gillis is in no rush to make this trade right now until a team is desperate enough to offer him a deal he likes. I think he could get a very nice return if he waits until next year's trade deadline, GM's always get a little crazy on that day and there always teams that are just a good goalie away from becoming contenders that could be willing to pay up.

Welcome back, Spiegs...

I was hoping that Doug "The Thug" Glatt was available, but the Stasche will suffice

Seriously tho.. good signing. The role of the enforcer, while diminished in "today's NHL", is still necessary..

Well according to Harvey Fialkov, Nick Bjugstad has REJECTED his pro contract. Looks like he's going back to school??????? Dan, get on it, man!

Well according to Harvey Fialkov, Nick Bjugstad has REJECTED his pro contract. Looks like he's going back to school??????? Dan, get on it, man!
- Panthers88

That's interesting, I guess he wants an education and doesn't like his odds to make the team. I think College hockey and an education beats out playing most of the year in the AHL. I'm sure his parents probably have a big influence over this decision.

That's interesting, I guess he wants an education and doesn't like his odds to make the team. I think College hockey and an education beats out playing most of the year in the AHL. I'm sure his parents probably have a big influence over this decision.
- Nucker101

He has always said that his education is very important to him. Good for him. Not too many future NHLers would make this decision. I've been watching him for the last few days at camp... he is almost 6'9 on skates. Just a FREAK of nature. Awesome shot. Def 1st liner NHL center material. He can take all the time he needs, imo.

Good deal for both sides. Parros is among the top five (arguably three) fighters in the NHL right now. He's not a total idiot with the puck either, so he'll be able to hang for 8-10min on the 4th line wing as well.