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Roberto Luongo thought he was untradeable. The Panthers found a way to bring him back to Florida.
After nearly eight years apart, Luongo was the centerpiece of a four-player trade between Florida and the Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday. The Panthers sent goalie Jacob Markstrom - once considered their future in net - and forward Shawn Matthias to the Canucks for Luongo and forward Steven Anthony.
It's a bold move for the Panthers, who almost certainly will wind up missing the playoffs for the 13th time in the last 14 seasons.
''We're getting a great goaltender, a proven commodity,'' Panthers general manager Dale Tallon said. ''Jacob has got great upside but we needed to make a statement and Luongo's numbers are terrific. He's already been in this community and is a very popular figure in the South Florida area. And I just like what he brings to the table, giving us stability and his experience and a chance for us to win. You have to pay the price to get guys like this.''
And the Panthers paid a big price.
Markstrom's potential had been spoken about for years and he certainly could have been a more affordable option than Luongo, whose $64 million deal doesn't expire until the end of the 2021-22 season.
After nearly eight years apart, Luongo was the centerpiece of a four-player trade between Florida and the Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday. The Panthers sent goalie Jacob Markstrom - once considered their future in net - and forward Shawn Matthias to the Canucks for Luongo and forward Steven Anthony.
It's a bold move for the Panthers, who almost certainly will wind up missing the playoffs for the 13th time in the last 14 seasons.
''We're getting a great goaltender, a proven commodity,'' Panthers general manager Dale Tallon said. ''Jacob has got great upside but we needed to make a statement and Luongo's numbers are terrific. He's already been in this community and is a very popular figure in the South Florida area. And I just like what he brings to the table, giving us stability and his experience and a chance for us to win. You have to pay the price to get guys like this.''
And the Panthers paid a big price.
Markstrom's potential had been spoken about for years and he certainly could have been a more affordable option than Luongo, whose $64 million deal doesn't expire until the end of the 2021-22 season.