NHL

Panthers move to sign Luongo via arbitration

By wire services
Published August 12, 2005

MIAMI - Roberto Luongo is being taken to arbitration by the Florida Panthers, a move that ensures the record-setting goaltender will be under contract when the team opens camp next month.

The Panthers exercised a new right on Thursday that enables teams to take players to arbitration. A hearing could take place as early as Aug. 22.

General manager Mike Keenan said it's "certainly within the realm of possibility" that the sides could resume working on a deal before lawyers decide what Luongo, a restricted free agent, will earn this season.

"We tried a lot of different scenarios," Keenan said. "We just couldn't find the middle ground in this particular case, so this is a good way of facilitating a contract for Roberto and we're excited about the fact he will be under contract and will be playing for us in the fall."

Without a contract, Luongo could have held out from camp.

Before the new collective-bargaining agreement this year, only players had the right to elect arbitration.

Luongo set NHL records in the 2003-04 season for saves (2,303) and shots faced (2,475). No goalie with more than 50 starts had a better save percentage than Luongo's .931.

MAPLE LEAFS: Eric Lindros' on-again, off-again courtship with Toronto was finally completed when he signed a one-year, $1.55-million contract.

"It's a little dusty," said Lindros as he pulled on a No. 88 Toronto sweater. "It's about time. This is great. I'm really excited about it. It's a dream come true."

Lindros, an Ontario native, has been linked to the Leafs for years.

Lindros' father and agent, Carl, said teams were calling as late as Thursday to show interest in signing the hulking forward.

The oft-injured Lindros, 32, passed the Leafs' medical tests.

Lindros spent three years with the New York Rangers starting in 2001-02. He had 10 goals, 22 assists and 60 penalty minutes in 39 games during the 2003-04 season.

THRASHERS: Atlanta re-signed goaltender Pasi Nurminen, defensemen Andy Sutton and Tomas Kloucek, and forwards Brad Larsen and Francis Lessard. All were restricted free agents.

BLINDSIDED AGAIN?: Steve Moore is surprised Todd Bertuzzi was reinstated by the NHL for a blindside punch that broke the neck of the former Colorado Avalanche forward.

"It's difficult to see that he's able to play again when I still have a long way to go, and not just in hockey, but with my health," Moore said in Thursday's Denver Post.

On Monday, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman cleared Bertuzzi to play this season. Vancouver's Bertuzzi was suspended for the final 13 games of the 2003-04 regular season and the playoffs. His banishment continued throughout last season's NHL lockout.

Moore had extensive tests this week at Cleveland Clinic as doctors attempted to gauge his recovery from the March 8, 2004, hit that left him with a fractured neck and concussion. Results are not expected for several weeks.

OLYMPICS: NHL players moved a step closer to playing in the 2006 Turin Games. Details were discussed at a meeting in Zurich, Switzerland, attended by NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly, NHL Players' Association executive director Ted Saskin, International Ice Hockey Federation president Rene Fasel and International Olympic Committee executive director Gilbert Felli. A decision could come Monday.

[Last modified August 12, 2005, 00:47:15]