As the NHL offseason quickly approaches, so do the Roberto Luongo trade rumors. The whispers of a trade for the Vancouver Canucks goalie seem to be a growing trend around these times, but never actually seem to happen. The Canucks have made multiple attempts to get rid of the veteran but have failed miserably. Now, the New York Islanders are the next to consider a move to acquire Luongo.
The Islanders and Luongo are very familiar with each other. The team originally drafted him No. 4 overall in 1997. If things play out, Luongo could return to the exact spot his career began. The most important factor of this trade will come down to current Islanders' goalie, Evgeni Nabokov. He is reaching the end of his current deal and if the team can sign him to a favorable extension, they will opt for that instead of getting Luongo.
New York also has the inflated of Rick DiPietro after he signed a 15-year, $67.5 million contract that lasts until 2020-21. He will be the trade package the Islanders desire to set up. If they can send DiPietro to Vancouver for Luongo, it would be an equal match. Luongo will earn $1.5 million over the next 18 years compared to DiPietro's $1.5 million over 16 years. Vancouver could then use a compliance buyout on DiPietro.
Vancouver has almost nothing to gain from the deal expect for getting rid of the contract. The Islanders would have to add something else in order to make things more worthwhile for the Canucks. The trade could be big for New York. Luongo has shown signs that he is still a top-tier goalie in the league. Pairing his experience with a young group of emerging players could payoff.
The Islanders pending move to Brooklyn make them a favorable destination for players like Luongo. He likely does not want to be sent packing to a smaller market and playing in Brooklyn inside the Barclays Center would put him on another prominent stage.
Vancouver is determined to dump Luongo this offseason. They made numerous attempts during 2012's offseason to get rid of him in favor of Cory Schneider, but no one would take on the large contract. They also tried to set up a trade with the Toronto Maple Leafs surrounding Luongo during the trade deadline in 2013, but that too did not work out. The Islanders could be their only option.