Caps GM McPhee: “I could never take [Luongo's] contract”

Nobody was surprised when the Capitals brushed off this weekend’s Roberto Luongo trade rumors. After all, even if they did have interest, why would they admit it in public?

But there’s brushing off rumors, and then there’s what Caps GM George McPhee told the Globe and Mail about any talks he’s had with the Canucks.

“We have not had one conversation about goaltending,” McPhee said. “And on TV they’re talking about what prospect I’m going to give up. Well, I could never take [Luongo’s] contract.”

Luongo is signed through 2021-22, with a cap hit of $5.3 million. And given the Caps already have a couple of big long-term contracts on the books — Alex Ovechkin is also signed through 2020-21, and Nicklas Backstrom through 2019-20 — McPhee’s inability to add another is understandable (and believable).

So if not Luongo, the obvious follow-up question is, would McPhee be interested in Vancouver’s other goalie?

Well, even if he was, Vancouver isn’t trading Cory Schneider, according to TSN’s Bob McKenzie.

Last week, Gillis said he hasn’t “been thinking about, thought of, or considered” trading Schneider.

Related: Luongo will start in fourth straight game