The Goalie Rumors: Who's Looking, Who's Moving?

Perhaps the biggest name on the trade deadline this year is Florida Panthers goaltender Tomas Vokoun. He has a no-trade clause, but as mentioned before here, he's open to waiving it.

So will he be on the move today? George Richards at the Miami Herald doesn't think so.

It appears that the Panthers are not only sellers, but they will refuse no reasonable offer. Everything must go. I know I said yesterday that I didn't think Tomas Vokoun would be heading out the door and I still don't.

But that's because I believe Randy and Cliff and Stu when they say they want to build for the future and want to get top assets. I don't think they can get the top assets for Vokoun today.

That doesn't mean they aren't talking with teams, though. Tim Panaccio of CSN Philly says that the Flyers are interested in Vokoun's services, but that they'd have to get a high-profile player to waive a no-trade clause to make a deal possible. Here are a few Twitter messages from Panaccio.

To get Vokoun you'd have to get hartnell, gagne or briere to waive NTC

Source in fla says they want carter for vokoun. Vokoun would waive NTC for flyers

Flyers will NOT move Carter I am told

The art of negotiation.

The other goaltender making waves on this deadline day is in New York, specifically Long Island. Rumors have it that Dwayne Roloson could be on the move, but the offers apparently haven't been up to par just yet.

Here's Chris Botta of NYI Point Blank:

Point Blank has learned that the best offer for Roloson as of late Tuesday night was a third round pick. Unless the proposals improve, Roloson will remain an Islander.

It makes little sense to move Roloson - arguably the Islanders’ most valuable player this season, showing no signs of slowing down at age 40 - for just a third round pick.

With more cap space than every Cup contender combined, Snow also has the option of using it to his team’s advantage. (The Cristobal Huet option I wrote about on the blog on Feb. 25 certainly has taken on a life of its own on Twitter).

My friend Elliotte Friedman of "Hockey Night in Canada" has written that the Blackhawks really want Tomas Vokoun from Florida, but Snow could benefit by giving Chicago cap relief in a separate deal.

The more complicated deals get as 3:00 pm EST approaches, the more likely they are to crater.

If a Roloson trade does not work out, the Islanders will consider their highest bids for Martin Biron. Snow will not give Roloson or Biron away.

Speaking of Huet, the Blackhawks are reportedly trying to replace him in their net as they make a run to the Stanley Cup.

Here's what The Fourth Period has to say on that front:

According to several published reports, the Blackhawks are feverishly trying to obtain another starting goaltender before today's 3pm ET trade deadline.

The Hawks have been continuously linked to Florida Panthers netminder Tomas Vokoun, who appears willing to waive his no-trade clause, but was not approached yesterday by Panthers management about it.

Citing multiple sources, the Chicago Daily Herald claims the Hawks have been trying to trade Cristobal Huet and his $5.625 million salary cap hit.

One rumor making the rounds late Tuesday involved Huet being dealt to the New York Islanders, Vokoun heading to Chicago, and Isles netminder Dwayne Roloson ending up in Florida, with more players believed to be involved.