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Canucks GM denies Luongo will be traded to Toronto when lockout ends

Roberto Luongo

A Roberto Luongo trade to Toronto is not signed, sealed and just waiting to be delivered once the lockout ends, Canucks GM Mike said Thursday on Vancouver radio.

Gillis’s comments refuted an earlier report by Sportsnet’s John Shannon.

“I’m not sure why John would say that because that’s certainly not the case,” Gillis told Team 1040. “Everyone is entitled to speculate on whatever they’d like to speculate on. We’ve moved very slowly on any discussions with Roberto. We’ll trade him when we get what we want to get for him or we won’t trade him. Either way is fine with me.

“If we can do something that is going to help us and moves our team forward in different areas, we’re certainly going to consider it. But that hasn’t occurred yet so I’m not quite sure why that would be said.”

Purely from a hockey perspective, trading Luongo to the Maple Leafs makes more sense than a trade to Florida (believed to be his preferred destination).

As it stands, Toronto has James Reimer and Ben Scrivens as its goaltending tandem. Neither has much NHL experience (Reimer has just 67 career starts) and GM Brian Burke is likely out of a job if the Leafs don’t make the playoffs next season (whenever that may occur).

Related:

Panthers reportedly reluctant to give up prospect Bjugstad for Luongo

Canucks GM on trading Luongo: “We don’t have fire sales”