In writing up the "Schneider on the block" reports which surfaced earlier today, we invoked "the Madman theory" which was a major tenant of Tricky Dick Nixon’s foreign policy posture in the mid-70s. In sticking with that theme, we’re reminded also of the Vietnam War and how backdoor diplomatic outreach with the communist Chinese government, in some ways, gave the Nixon administration the breathing room necessary to pull out of Vietnam in a way that saved face geopolitically.

It’s that type of redemptive maneuver that Mike Gillis is going to need to pull off in New York City this weekend with his goaltending situation. Of course that’s easier said than done and what was already a bit of a mess is really on the verge of becoming something significantly more malignant. Writes ESPN’s Pierre LeBrun in his Saturday Rumblings:

Yikes. Read past the jump.

Of course this comes as no surprise – Luongo wants out, and has for a while, and that particular bridge is probably too damaged by fire to be saved. What’s more interesting is LeBrun’s confirmation, from a variety of sources including a General Manager who believes it makes sense and a player agent who is sure that Dreger’s original report is accurate, that Schneider is in fact in play this weekend.

According to LeBrun the Calgary Flames, Edmonton Oilers and New York Islanders all have interest, and it would beggar belief that the Canucks would willingly trade a goaltender they believe to be a future star and franchise goaltender within the newly christened "Division A."

As Spock famously says in Star Trek VI: "Only Nixon could go to China." What I’m not sure that Nixon could do is successfully trade Roberto Luongo,…