Canucks Finally Unload Roberto Luongo

It’s been so long coming that I don’t even remember how long it’s been coming at this point—the whole thing has been a roller coaster. On Tuesday the Vancouver Canucks finally worked out a trade for goalie Roberto Luongo, who was shipped off to the Florida Panthers.

Luongo, along with the eight years and $64 million remaining on his current contract, was sent to the Panthers in exchange for goalie Jakob Markstrom, center Shawn Matthias and CHL winger Steven Anthony.

The deal brings to end a three-year drama in Vancouver, in which it has seemed that Luongo has had one skate out the door. A former captain, the Canucks keeper had to waive a no-trade clause before anything could be finalized.

Luongo’s discontent in Vancouver dates back to the 2011 Stanley Cup Finals, in which he was benched in favor of Cory Schneider. Ultimately Schneider was traded to the New Jersey Devils in June 2013, but that didn’t do much to repair the strained relationship.

Also of no help to the strain was the hiring of coach John Tortorella this past offseason. Recently the notoriously combative Tortorella—who exited New York amid rumors he couldn’t make nice with Vezina-winning Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist—chose not to start Luongo at the Heritage Classic.

Instead Torts opted for rookie Eddie Lack. Fans in Vancouver chanted angrily for Luongo during the game, not because they’re particularly fond of him, but because they were losing to the Ottawa Senators and Luongo was, unquestionably, the better start.

In the wake of the trade, the real question is not why the Canucks dumped Luongo—even though he was the most capable net minder on their roster—but why the Panthers stepped up to claim his excessive contract, which runs through 2020. The 34-year-old will be 40 by the time it expires and will be a massive salary cap hit in all but the last two years of it.

Honestly, the only one truly benefitting from the trade is Luongo. Apparently his off-season home is in South Florida, making it one of the few destinations he was willing to waive his no-trade clause for.

I’d be happy for the guy if he wasn’t such an insufferable douche.