Florida Panthers

As draft week kicks off here in Vancouver one of the most discussed topics is going to be the potential marketing of goalie Roberto Luongo.

It's pretty much a given now that Florida Panthers general manager Mike Keenan has little option now that the goaltender has turned down two terrific offers from the club, stating through his agent Gilles Lupien that he will only finish this next season with the team before testing the free-agent waters -- unless he's given a no-trade clause.

This could be a ploy to force Florida's hand as it's no secret he has been put off on more than one occasion with some of the things that have gone on with his club. He was livid last August when he was at the Olympic orientation camp in Kelowna, B.C., upset that Keenan was going to take him to arbitration. And since then he has turned down at least two lucrative offers from the Panthers, one well publicized offer of US$30-million over five years and another whereby he was offered US$24-million over four years very recently.

"We are going to sit down this week and come to a conclusion on what to do with this situation," said Keenan yesterday. "It's been ongoing now for over a month and we have to come to some sort of determination as to what we're going to do."

Keenan says he would like to keep the outstanding goalie -- who has never played an NHL playoff game but has won a world title with Team Canada -- but won't give him a no-trade clause. And there's no way he can hold him for this season, after which he walks for nothing. If he trades Luongo, there must also be a deal worked out by the team taking him, because they won't want to inherit Florida's problem.

Sources indicate that the Canucks are certainly among the most interested teams given the type of package they might be able to offer in return. The L.A. Kings are also said to be very interested, along with the Oilers, who don't have Dwayne Roloson locked up for next year. When a guy like Luongo goes on the market, everyone has to be interested.

Canucks GM Dave Nonis has said publicly he feels Luongo is among the best goalies in the game and given the histrionics in goal this team has gone through in the time Nonis has been in and around the organization, he knows full well his acquisition would put an end to all that melodrama.

In terms of assets, he has a few, including one Todd Bertuzzi. A trade for the winger makes sense because Keenan likes Bertuzzi and thinks he'll be great again. And the off-loading of his US$5-million in salary would clear the decks for a Luongo signing in Vancouver.

No deal could happen without one of Vancouver's stars leaving. The problem is Keenan needs a goalie back in return. And while the Canucks have a great range of options to offer, are any of the three possibilities good enough to satisfy the former Vancouver coach turned Florida boss?

Dan Cloutier offers excellent experience and a very good regular-season record. Alex Auld, who was originally drafted by the Panthers, is cheaper and perhaps has a bigger upside and American junior prospect Cory Schneider would also be of interest.

Despite all the barriers to a potential deal, any team getting Luongo could be set in the game's most important position for the next 10 years.