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Florida Panthers: Three Out-of-Place Goalies the Cats Should Pursue

By Cal Friedman

SUNRISE, FL - OCTOBER 13: Goaltender Roberto Luongo is presented with a gold and crystal stick by President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Dale Tallon during a celebration of playing in 1000th NHL game prior to the Florida Panthers hosting the Vancouver Canucks at the BB&T Center on October 13, 2018 in Sunrise, Florida. (Photo by Eliot J. Schechter/NHLI via Getty Images)
SUNRISE, FL - OCTOBER 13: Goaltender Roberto Luongo is presented with a gold and crystal stick by President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Dale Tallon during a celebration of playing in 1000th NHL game prior to the Florida Panthers hosting the Vancouver Canucks at the BB&T Center on October 13, 2018 in Sunrise, Florida. (Photo by Eliot J. Schechter/NHLI via Getty Images) /
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Goaltending has been a key issue for the Florida Panthers this season. We’ve heard this a million times before.

TORONTO, ON – DECEMBER 20: Florida Panthers Goalie Roberto Luongo (1) in warmups prior to the regular season NHL game between the Florida Panthers and Toronto Maple Leafs on December 20, 2018 at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, ON. (Photo by Gerry Angus/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON – DECEMBER 20: Florida Panthers Goalie Roberto Luongo (1) in warmups prior to the regular season NHL game between the Florida Panthers and Toronto Maple Leafs on December 20, 2018 at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, ON. (Photo by Gerry Angus/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

With Roberto Luongo dealing with injuries seemingly all season, and James Reimer struggling to fulfill his expectations, the Florida Panthers have lost out on a lot of points this season.

This isn’t a team that needs to be losing 6-1 to the Toronto Maple Leafs with Luongo in net. At the beginning of the year, the team’s expectations for these kinds of games was to be winning, no matter how good the Leafs are, especially after outplaying and beating them in overtime just two weeks ago.

Ultimately, the Panthers need to pull the plug and make a move. It may be seen as a panic move by the rest of the NHL, but with these three goalies in complicated situations of their own, the Panthers need to be the one to snatch at the opportunity.

Look at the Mike Hoffman trade, the Panthers traded for a player whose off-ice controversies were at an all-time high, and Hoffman has easily been one of Florida’s better players this season.

Dale Tallon, whose job could be at stake if this season continues to progress lower and lower in the standings, needs to find a new #1 in net.  Even if Luongo can bounce back, Luongo is still 39, and only getting older.

Now, without further ado, here are three out-of-place goaltenders who the Panthers should look at potentially acquiring. I break down how they can do it:

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