Roberto Luongo

IT IS MORE THAN A CONTRACT…
IT IS A “STATEMENT”…
TODAY THE VANCOUVER CANUCKS SIGNED ROBERTO LUONGO TO A 12 YEAR DEAL WORTH $64 MILLION DOLLARS…
THIS DEAL ANSWERED ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT GENERAL MANAGER MIKE GILLIS REALLY THINKS ABOUT HIS GOALTENDER…
LUONGO IS THE FRANCHISE…PERIOD…
NOT EVEN THE SEDIN TWINS WERE OFFERED THIS KIND OF LONG TERM COMMITMENT…
THE CONTRACT IS FRONT LOADED…
NEXT SEASON LUONGO WILL BE PAID $10 MILLION DOLLARS…
THAT’S NEARLY TWICE WHAT MARTIN BRODUER MAKES…
AND $1 MILLION MORE THAN BOTH ALEXANDER OVECHKIN…AND SIDNEY CROSBY WILL TAKE HOME…
LUONGO WILL SEE $53 MILLION OVER THE FIRST 8 YEARS OF THE CONTRACT…
WITH A MERE $7 MILLION TO BE PAID OVER THE FINAL 4 YEARS…
WHICH MEANS:
STARTING NEXT SEASON…HIS CAP HIT…WILL DROP TO…$5.33 MILLION…
NEARLY $1.5 MILLION LESS…THAN THIS SEASON…
THAT’S IMPORTANT BECAUSE GILLIS HAS THREE BIG DECISIONS TO MAKE…
THE FIRST IS RYAN KESLER…WHO WILL BE A RESTRICTED FREE AGENT NEXT SUMMER…
KESLER MAKES $1.75 MILLION…HE WAS THE CANUCKS MVP LAST SEASON…AND WILL BE LOOKING FOR A BIG RAISE…
THE SECOND IS WILLIE MITCHELL…WHO WILL BE AN UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENT NEXT SUMMER…
MITCHELL IS A LITTLE MORE COMPLICATED…
HE’S NOW 32…MAKES $3.5 MILLION AND HAS A NO TRADE CLAUSE…
AND FINALLY…CORY SCHNEIDER…
WHO IS ONE OF THE CANUCKS BEST PROSPECTS…
SCHNEIDER IS JUST 23…AND LAST SEASON WAS NAMED THE AMERICAN HOCKEY LEAGUE GOALTENDER OF THE YEAR…
IT MAKES NO SENSE TO KEEP HIM…AND IT MAKES NO SENSE TO SEND HIM BACK TO MANITOBA…
THE SMART MONEY SAYS…THE CANUCKS WILL SHOWCASE SCHNEIDER TO START THE SEASON…
THEN PACKAGE HIM UP IN A DEAL TO LAND A TOP 6 FORWARD…
IT ALSO MEANS…ANDREW RAYCROFT WILL PROBABLY START THE SEASON IN WINNIPEG…
BUT FOR NOW…WHAT MATTERS MOST IS…
THE CANUCKS WILL NOT LOSE ROBERTO LUONGO TO FREE AGENCY…
WHICH MEANS:
FOR THE NEXT FEW YEARS THIS FRANCHISE WILL BE ABLE TO COMPETE FOR A STANLEY CUP…
HOW’S THAT FOR A “STATEMENT”???