Sergei Belski-USA TODAY Sports
While over half of the league focuses on what the postseason will bring for them, teams like the Florida Panthers are already focusing on their offseason plan. Much of that plan will center around getting healthy, which was a major part of this team’s struggles in 2013, there are a few areas in which they could look to upgrade.
One of those areas is in their goaltending. The Panthers will face a decision surrounding two of their three goaltenders this summer. The only goalie not a free agent on the roster is Scott Clemmensen. And there’s no way that he’ll be anything but a backup for this team next season.
Which leaves the Panthers with a couple of options. They could trade for a goaltender, be it veteran or young guy who hasn’t gotten a real opportunity yet. Or they could hand the keys to Jacob Markstrom. Another possibility is a combination of both.
Markstrom will likely get a new deal from the Panthers. He’s still very young and flashed some potential. But in the event that he struggles for much of next year, and proves that he’s not a long-term solution, the Panthers need to be prepared to have a really sturdy option in goal.
Which re-opens that possibility of Roberto Luongo. The Panthers have been connected to Luongo for quite some time, going back to last summer. In need of a franchise goaltender, bringing back their former no. 1 goalie might be the best option for the Panthers next season.
A Luongo trade is a virtual certainty this offseason. Cory Schneider is the man for the future, and it doesn’t make sense carrying two goaltenders with that high of cap hits. Sooner or later, the Vancouver Canucks are going to have to settle for something less than what they were originally hoping to acquire for him.
Rolling with a combination of Luongo and Markstrom, assuming he’s brought back on a short, cheap deal, could be the best route for the Florida Panthers. It would ensure them of some consistency between the pipes and would give them a very potent combo, especially if Markstrom pans out.
Of course, there is the possibility that Markstrom would have to be involved in a potential trade. This is operating under the assumption that they could move one of their wealth of prospects, or some center depth, in order to acquire Roberto Luongo.
The Florida Panthers are going to be a much better team next year. They have a very strong group of forwards and some nice youth on the blue line that’s going to be very effective. And they’ll be healthy. A return to the playoffs is a very real possibility.
But they need an established goaltender to help them get back into the postseason. Roberto Luongo is going to be dealt. The Panthers are one of the only teams in the running. They need to make acquiring him a priority when the time comes this summer.
