It’s Back To The Future for Roberto Luongo.
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Roberto Luongo is finally free from Vancouver. The stunning news just came down that the Canucks have indeed unloaded the 34-year old goalie back to Florida. Astonishingly, Canucks general manager Mike Gillis was able to get a decent return from the Panthers acquiring Swedish goalie prospect Jacob Markstrom and center Shawn Matthias.

Once thought untradeable, Luongo fell out of favor recently under new Canucks bench boss John Tortorella. The controversial former Rangers coach opted to start rookie Eddie Lack in the Hockey Heritage Game which Vancouver lost to Ottawa on Saturday. When Luongo didn’t play, there was an uproar. Maybe they shouldn’t have been surprised considering how much he’d struggled. He dropped his last five decisions posting a 3.48 GAA with a .880 save percentage. In fact, he permitted at least three goals over his final six starts as a Canuck including a 5-4 overtime win over the Coyotes on Jan. 26.

Luongo still posted respectable numbers going 19-16-6 with a 2.38 GAA, .917 save percentage and three shutouts over 42 appearances. Originally an Islanders first round pick in ’97, he was traded to Florida with Olli Jokinen for Oleg Kvasha and Mark Parrish on June 24, 2000. Then Islanders GM Mike Milbury made the move along with taking Rick DiPietro first overall. In Sunrise, Luongo developed into a capable number one goalie but the Panthers were never good enough to make the playoffs.

Almost six years to the day, Florida sent Luongo with Lukas Krajicek and an ’06 sixth round pick to Vancouver in exchange for Todd Bertuzzi, Alex Auld and Bryan Allen. Finally on a better roster, he blossomed into one of the game’s top netminders helping guide the Canucks to six postseasons including a trip to the Stanley Cup Final in 2011. Unfortunately, Vancouver blew series leads of 2-0 and 3-2 falling in seven games to Boston including a 4-0 Game 7 humiliation at home.

The next two seasons treated Luongo unkindly with then backup Cory Schneider stealing accolades and replacing him in a first round series loss to LA and starting over him in another first round disappointment against San Jose. Ironically, Alain Vigneault was the coach. Following his dismissal, many expected Luongo to finally go last summer. Instead, Gillis shocked everyone by dealing Schneider to the Devils in exchange for a 2013 first round pick (Bo Horvat).

Finally after eight years, he gets his wish. Who would’ve ever believed he’d be headed back to Florida? Luongo finishes his Vancouver Canucks career as the all-time franchise leader in wins (252) and shutouts (38). He also backstopped Canada to Olympic Gold in Vancouver (2010). For all the criticism he received, Luongo was a quality goalie that helped put the Canucks back on the map. Barring something unforeseen, he’ll go down as their best netminder.

Now, he’ll return to the Panthers who never found a suitable replacement. The combination of Jose Theodore and Scott Clemmensen got them to the playoffs two years ago and pushed the Devils to the brink before losing in sudden death. The ’11-12 season is the only one they’ve seen the postseason since 2000. Somewhat ironically, Luongo and Bruins Conn Smythe winner Tim Thomas are reunited after facing each other for Lord Stanley. As odd as it gets.