More Alec Burks Jersey NHL: | | | | | For the first time in eight years, the are getting goaltending that is better than the league average.It's not a coincidence that this is also the first time in eight years that the Maple Leafs are on their way to the playoffs (barring an epic late-season collapse, of course).Most of their succe s this year comes down to two things: Their forwards are shooting the lights out -- maybe even getting a little bit of shooting luck along the way -- and their goalies ( and Ben Scrivens) have been really, really good.They've been so good that it should have put an end to the idea that the Maple Leafs need to go out and acquire a veteran goalie, whether it be or somebody else. But it hasn't.General manager Dave Nonis hasn't helped that by saying within the past month , and the Luongo speculation simply will not go away.The 's Damien Cox that talks between the Maple Leafs and quietly resumed over the past week.From Cox:As has been the case for 11 months, ever since it became clear the Vancouver Canucks Kristaps Porzingis Jersey intended to hand the No. 1 goaltending job to Cory Schneider, its clear all roads for Luongos exodus out of British Columbia logically lead to Toronto.Which is probably why talks between the Canucks and Maple Leafs quietly resumed this week after weeks of silence between the two teams. That doesnt mean a deal is at hand, although its believed Vancouver GM Mike Gillis is no longer demanding the likes of Nazem Kadri or Jake Gardiner in a proposed trade.Gillis has a troubling hole to fill at centre and Tyler Bozak remains a comfortable fit.My problem with that is Toronto isn't a logical fit for Luongo. Not anymore, anyway. Maybe it was over the summer, but not with the way that Reimer and Scrivens have played this season.The Maple Leafs have one of the most valuable a sets an NHL team can have in a salary-cap world: Cheap goaltending -- they're spending le s than $2.5 million this season and next season on the position -- that also happens to be providing better-than-average play.Why me s with that for a 33-year-old goalie with a huge contract?Trading for Luongo not only means you're giving up a sets -- Vancouver would have to want more than , right? -- but also taking on his remaining cap hit. Or at least part of it. Having good goaltending for a cheap price in a salary-cap world gives Earl Monroe Jersey you the opportunity to spend more money in other areas to give yourself a better, deeper team. The Leafs have that ability. Taking on Luongo's contract, even if Vancouver absorbs some of it, doesn't seem like it's worth giving up that cap flexibility. Especially if you're not signficantly upgrading the position, and I'm not sure Luongo would at this stage of his career.Still, the Luongo speculation isn't going away anytime soon. Mostly because it would be beneficial for the Canucks to find a way to move on. has started more games this season (and has played better) while the Canucks have more than $9 million of their salary-cap space committed to goaltenders. That's not exactly an efficient use of resources, which is .From an efficiency standpoint, to have $9.33 million invested in two goaltenders when only one of them can play is clearly not the most efficient use of resources, a sistant general manager Laurence Gilman told the this week. Mario Hezonja Jersey That being said ... Roberto is still in the prime of his career and can stabilize an NHL team for years to come. Thats an a set thats extremely hard to come by. It would be foolish for us to trade Roberto for a rental player.The other name mentioned by Cox was 's , which makes even le s sense than Luongo. Not only because Kiprusoff has a larger cap hit next season -- Kiprusoff will count $6 million against the cap while Luongo will count $5.3 million -- but also because his play has declined significantly the past couple of years. And . Even if Vancouver and Calgary decide to try to move their veteran goalies, they're going to have a hard time finding a match given how few teams in the NHL are in the market for a big-money player on the wrong side of 30. Tim Hardaway Jr. Jersey Not many teams should be interested in taking on that sort of contract while also giving up a sets for a declining goalie.And that should include the Toronto Maple Leafs.