Rumor - With Link Report: Luongo won’t accept deal to Chicago or Toronto, only Florida

[Irishjim]

Joe Yerdon

Jun 25, 2012, 9:33 AM EDT

Roberto Luongo has been drawing all sorts of trade interest this summer, especially from Brian Burke and the Maple Leafs, but if reports are to be believed, he doesn’t have any interest in going there.

Aaron Portzline of The Columbus Dispatch tweets this morning that according to his sources, Luongo has

declined to waive his no-trade clause to go to either Toronto or Chicago and will only agree to do so for a deal to the Florida Panthers.

While Toronto and Florida are known entities in the hunt for Luongo at this point, Portzline reported last night on Twitter that

Chicago was also an interested party. Go ahead and take a minute to wrap your head around that possibility. The Panthers, of course, are one of Luongo’s former teams and South Florida is an area Luongo loves.

Should this report hold true through the summer, Canucks GM Mike Gillis is going to have quite a battle on his hands with Florida GM Dale Tallon who said

he wouldn’t give up the farm to get Luongo. This fun is only just beginning.

[flyercanuck]

Pretty sad his wife decides where he has to play.

[Puck]

http://www.thestar.com/sports/leafs/article/1274114--roberto-luongo-trade-to-leafs-isn-t-a-done-deal-at-least-not-yet-cox

Saw this on Twitter this morning. The Vancouver media hasn't reported that Luongo will only accept a trade to Florida and I'm not sure he's foolish enough to go that route. Everyone knows Florida is his number one choice. Doesn't mean it will happen. I did read elsewhere that Tallon has indicated he's no longer interested - that could be speculation though. However, knowing Tallon's record of developing youth, and the fact they have Markstrom for the future and Theodore for the present, I don't see Luongo being a fit for the Panthers.

Back to a possible TO deal; Cox's article speculates Bozak would be the centerpiece going to the Canucks in a deal for Roberto. Bozak fills a need on the checking line for the Canucks and if Gillis can get a prospect defenseman (he's not getting Gardiner) and/or a pick, he'd be foolish not to do that deal.

[tcorcoran39]

Thats funny, considering he tweeted a pic of a Toronto Vancouver jersey

[jammer2]

With the rumors of the cap going down by 10 mill or so, I'd say Roberto's options are...

A) take a deal to any NHL club that can afford him....

or

B) be the NHL's most expensive back up, sitting on the bench in obscurity for the rest of his days...

The ball is in your court Mr.Luongo....

[Vanflyer]

B) be the NHL's most expensive back up, sitting on the bench in obscurity for the rest of his days...

Vancouver is at 67M in cap. If the rumors are accurate, they will need to get down to 60K. That means that Luongo will have to be moved.