Luongo returning to Panthers

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 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.
“Jacob’s a great young goaltender, with a lot of potential, but that’s what you have to pay sometimes,” Tallon said.
So now the question in Florida becomes what to do with Tim Thomas – the winning goalie when Boston topped Luongo and Vancouver in the 2011 Stanley Cup finals.
Thomas was with the Panthers, ironically enough in Boston for Tuesday’s game, when the deal for Luongo went down. Thomas has a no-trade clause, and Tallon expected to meet with him no later than Wednesday morning to see how the 39-year-old wanted to proceed.
Thomas started in net for Florida Tuesday night. Around the start of that game, Luongo tweeted that he and Thomas would be a “dream team” together.
Caps get defenseman: The Washington Capitals acquired forward Dustin Penner from the Anaheim Ducks on Tuesday, adding another potential candidate for the top line of Alex Ovechkin and Nicklas Backstrom.
The Capitals gave up a fourth-round pick in this year’s draft for what is essentially a 20-game rental. Penner signed a one-year, $2 million contract last year and is set to become a free agent this summer.
The Capitals began the day in ninth place in the Eastern Conference, in danger of missing the playoffs for the first time since 2007. They have struggled in particular on defense, an area they could address before today’s NHL trade deadline.
Fylers acquire MacDonald: The New York Islanders are sending veteran defenseman Andrew MacDonald to the Metropolitan Division rival Philadelphia Flyers for a pair of draft picks and minor league center Matt Mangene.
MacDonald will bolster the Flyers’ defense as they push for a playoff spot. Philadelphia, which also has former Islanders defenseman Mark Streit on the back end, is currently in second place in the Metropolitan, one point ahead of the New York Rangers and two points above the postseason cutoff.
Bryzgalov sent to Minnesota: The Minnesota Wild traded a fourth-round draft pick to the Edmonton Oilers for goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov.
The 33-year-old Russian has a 5-8-5 record in 20 games for the Oilers this season with an ugly 3.01 goals-against average and he’s on a one-year contract, allowing the Wild to acquire him at relatively low cost.
The pick sent to Edmonton was originally acquired last year from Buffalo in the trade that brought first line right wing Jason Pominville to Minnesota.
Rookie Darcy Kuemper has started 15 straight games in goal for the Wild, so Bryzgalov is more for insurance with Niklas Backstrom and Josh Harding not at full strength. Backstrom has been bothered by injuries all season, and the 36-year-old has a career-worst 3.02 goals-against average over 21 games.
Blackhawks add 2: The Chicago Blackhawks have acquired defensemen David Rundblad and Mathieu Brisebois in a trade with the Phoenix Coyotes.
Rundblad has one assist in 12 games with the Coyotes this season. The 21-year-old Brisebois was assigned to Rockford of the American Hockey League.
The defending Stanley Cup champions parted with a second-round selection in this year’s draft to complete the trade.