Roberto Luongo started playing in the NHL with the Florida Panthers. During the summer of 2006, Luongo was planning to stay in Florida. Instead, the general manager of the Panthers, Mike Keenan, sent him to the Vancouver Canucks, along with Lukas Krajicek, in return for Todd Bertuzzi, Alex Auld, and Bryan Allen. Luongo first said that he was sad because he was leaving so suddenly and Vancouver was very far away.