Report: Panthers Are Front-Runners to Land Roberto Luongo

by Ricky Doyle on Fri, Jun 29, 2012 at 9:41AM

Roberto Luongo's days in Vancouver are likely over, and a return to the Sunshine State could be on the horizon.

TSN's Bob McKenzie tweeted Thursday that his colleague Darren Dreger reports that the Florida Panthers are the front-runners to land the veteran netminder.

According to McKenzie, Dreger says that dialogue continues between the two clubs, which is something that can't be said for the Canucks and Maple Leafs (another team rumored to be pursuing Luongo).

Luongo spent five seasons with the Panthers from 2000 to 2006 after the Islanders dealt him with Olli Jokinen for Mark Parrish and Oleg Kvasha in June 2000. Luongo was then dealt to Vancouver in 2006 as part of the deal that saw Todd Bertuzzi wind up in Florida.

With Cory Schneider leapfrogging Luongo on the depth chart and inking a three-year deal, it's obvious Luongo will soon be on the move. The Panthers, with no clear cut No. 1 goalie, make plenty of sense.