Roberto Luongo is still a Vancouver Canuck, and as potential suitors continue to angle for an opportunity to nab the All-Star goaltender.
For the teams that miss out, the remaining options on the market aren't exactly appealing, but there may be one more that hasn't been fully considered.
Chris Kuc, hockey writer for the Chicago Tribune reports that the agent for Cristobal Huet is still working on a deal to land his client with a new team for the 2012-13 season.
The Frenchman last played in the NHL in 2009-10, when he went 26-14-4 with a 2.50 goals-against average and an .895 save percentage for the Chicago Blackhawks. He's played the last two years for Swiss club Gotteron, most recently posting a .920 save percentage and a 2.12 GAA in 39 games in 2011-12. Huet's career record in 272 NHL games is 129 wins, 90 losses, 11 ties and 21 overtime/shootout losses.
Huet will turn 37 this fall, and isn't likely to be a long-term option for anyone, but for a team like the Florida Panthers - who already have Jacob Markstrom in place as their goaltender of the future - Huet could be an intriguing option to bridge the gap. Of course, the Panthers could just as easily decide that the keepers they have (Scott Clemmensen and Jose Theodore) can hold down the fort just fine until Markstrom is ready. For the Panthers - and arguably the Chicago Blackhawks - Huet doesn't represent an upgrade, which could limit his options.
What could be an intriguing possibility for Huet is a team with young goaltenders - think the Toronto Maple Leafs or Washington Capitals, where Huet could at the very least serve as a mix of mentor and backup for a James Reimer or Braden Holtby, and possibly start if the youngster is struggling or injured. Huet could have competition in that department from Dwayne Roloson, but he's certainly an interesting option on a goaltender market with very few.
Washington hasn't been mentioned in the Luongo talks, so if they're interested in Huet, they could wrap it up soon. If Huet is to land in Toronto, though, don't expect any deal until after Luongo lands somewhere else.