Roberto Luongo Contract Comments: Much Ado About Nothing

If you've ever doubted how much of a hockey city Vancouver is, all you need to do is listen to the spin and buzz around this city over the last couple days over a harmless and rather-clichéd comment Roberto Luongo made Saturday during his "After Hours" interview on Hockey Night In Canada. 

Luongo was asked about his future after his current contract runs out and whether or not he'll re-sign with the Canucks. 

Luongo stated, "We'll see," and went on to say he wants the best chance he can get to win the Cup, followed by saying how he's grown to love Vancouver, the fans, and the team. 

Over the last few days these comments have been spun into speculation that surely Roberto won't be signing an extension and will play out his remaining year with the Canucks and then begin fielding offers from all comers. 

Did anyone ever stop to think that among the teams that would have the cap room to acquire Luongo, the Canucks look to be far and away the best of the bunch when it comes to competing for a Stanley Cup?

With core players signing on, no albatross contracts, and one of the best value defenses in the NHL, the Canucks are poised to be a top-four team in the Western Conference for the foreseeable future and go into the postseason each year with a legitimate shot to take a run at the Cup. 

Meanwhile, there are undeniable hurdles set up with every other team that you could argue in a better position than Vancouver to win a Cup with regards to signing Luongo when he becomes a free agent at the end of the 2010 season.  Let's take a look:

San Jose has Evgeni Nabokov.  He will be a free agent at the same time as Luongo, however I fully expect him to stay in San Jose. 

It seems like a pretty good fit for both sides with Nabby in San Jose.  The Sharks get a top-five or -ten goalie in the league, and Nabokov gets to play on one of the best teams in the league.  There is also contract consideration here with Thornton, Marleau, Michalek, Pavelski, Boyle, Ehrhoff, and Vlasic set to make pretty decent money.

Detroit undeniably could use a goaltender, but you'd have to expect with the way Osgood and Conklin are struggling so mightily that Detroit will not be content going another season with those two.  The Wings will most likely address their goaltending this summer.  Be it with Nik Khabibulin, Cristobal Huet, or Manny Fernandez, it is very unlikely Detroit will go into the 2009-2010 season and beyond with Chris Osgood starting. 

Detroit will have a hard enough time keeping all their own talent under the cap (Datsyuk, Zetterberg, Hossa, Franzen, Hudler, Lidstrom, etc) which makes signing a $6 million goalie nothing more than a pipe dream.

New Jersey has maybe the only goaltender in the world teams would take over Luongo.  They are not cutting ties with Brodeur to bring in Luongo.

Calgary already has Kiprusoff, and would not want to disturb their roster for what would prove to be maybe a small upgrade.

Washington seems like it'd be a great fit for Luongo if only the Caps didn't have four All-Star caliber players that will all command All-Star money.  With the uncertainty of the cap in the near future, the Caps will have to worry more about what to do with Mike Green, Nick Backstrom, and Alex Semin than trying to sign Luongo.

Beyond those teams you could argue the Canucks have as good a chance, if not better than any other team in the league to win a Cup year in and year out for the foreseeable future.  The Canucks also have the advantage of being able to negotiate with Luongo a year earlier than the 29 other NHL teams. 

Unless the Canucks skid into the playoffs and bow out early this year, and follow it up with another disappointing season next year, there is little reason to believe Luongo will not be donning a Canucks sweater for much longer than the remaining year on his contract.