The Vancouver Canucks have traded goalie Roberto Luongo back to the Florida Panthers. Florida Panthers Store . Luongo rejoins the Panthers after having been traded to Vancouver eight seasons ago. The Canucks receive prospect goalie Jacob Markstrom and centre Shawn Matthias in return. Luongo had requested a trade last off-season before Cory Schneider was dealt to the New Jersey Devils. Rumours began that Luongo might want out after Eddie Lack was given the start in the Canucks Heritage Classic game with the Ottawa Senators. "I was not expecting it," Luongo told reporters shortly after the trade. "Go figure, right? Im happy for myself and my family and a little bit sad to be leaving Vancouver." Luongo spent five seasons with the Panthers from 2000-01 to 2005-06 before playing the past eight years with the Canucks. In 42 games this season, Luongo has a .917 save percentage and 2.38 goals against average. "Roberto is one of the games elite goaltenders and we are happy to welcome him back to South Florida," Panthers general manager Dale Tallon said. "With this acquisition, we have solidified our goaltending depth with a top-tiered netminder for the next several seasons." He now joins Tim Thomas, the goaltender he faced in the 2011 Stanley Cup Final when they lost to the Boston Bruins, and a young Panthers team. Asked on TSN Radio 1050 about being teammates with Thomas, Luongo laughed and said: "I dont know, well see how it goes when I get there." Luongo said he has no hard feelings towards the Canucks looking back over his eight seasons in Vancouver. "All in all it was a great run. There was a lot of stuff that happened in between but I have nothing but good things to say about the fans that were really supportive especially towards the end. This organization brought my game to another level. Its all positive stuff." Canucks president and general manager Mike Gillis spoke to the media following the trade and was asked if the Canucks planned any more moves before Wednesdays trade deadline. "I dont know if were done yet or not," Gillis said. "Were trying to get younger, get more depth and more balance." Matthias has nine goals and 16 points in 59 games for the Panthers this season. Markstrom has spent the majority of the year with the Panthers AHL affiliate in San Antonio where he was recently named AHL goalie of the month. The Canucks are also sending minor leaguer Steven Anthony to Florida and will retain 15 per cent of Luongos salary. Florida Panthers Pro Shop . Jamies number grades given are out of five, with five being the best mark. Henrik Lundqvist, New York Rangers (5) - Simply put, Lundqvist was brilliant. Stitched Panthers Jerseys . The 22-year-old Spanish midfielder recently signed a new three-year contract with Chelsea, and after spending last season on loan with Valencia in La Liga, Romeu will move to the Bundesliga for the 2014-15 campaign. https://www.panthersjerseycheap.com/ . "If we only consider this season," Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini said, "there is just one club in Manchester -- and its ours.KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Struggling Billy Butler found himself in a strange place, on the bench and out of the Kansas City Royals starting lineup. But Butler was needed late on Friday night and he delivered a pinch two-run homer with two outs in the eighth inning to send the Royals over the Cleveland Indians 6-4 for their fourth straight win. Carlos Santana homered twice for the Indians, who have lost five of six. Butler connected against John Axford, sending a drive over the Royals bullpen in left field. Butler was hitting just .200 in his previous 20 games with three extra-base hits and two RBIs. "As of late, the production definitely is not there," said Butler, who entered this season with a career .298 average. "Over my career, its there, but this game is about what youve done for me lately. If he (manager Ned Yost) thinks a guy matching up differently is better for the team, thats what hes got to do. Hes got a job to do putting the lineup out there. "Its just my job to prove I belong in there. Ive been in the league a long time. If you give up and get put in a situation like that, you dont compete. Im not going to give up." The Royals won a game of matchup moves. After Salvador Perez singled with one out in the eighth off Carlos Carrasco (3-4), Nick Hagadone entered and got the second out. Butler batted for Raul Ibanez and homered on Axfords second pitch. "It does give you a shot of confidence," Butler said. "Ive got a lot of confidence with a bat in my hand anyway. It definitely helps. Hopefully, I build off that." Axford gave up the winning hit to Nori Aoki in the 14th inning in a 2-1 loss on Thursday. "Its obviously tough after the last two nights," Axford said. "It was just a bad pitch. I let it stay out over the plate. It was supposed to be away and it ended up in the seats." Earlier in the game, the 42-year-old Ibanez drove in a run -- beccoming the oldest Royals player to hit a triple. Florida Panthers Shirts. Ibanez scored on the play when second baseman Jason Kipnis made a wild relay throw. Kelvin Herrera (2-2) pitched a scoreless eighth, and Aaron Crow worked around a leadoff double in the ninth to earn his second save in four chances. Royals closer Greg Holland, who had pitched in the three previous games, was unavailable. Perez, who had three hits, and Mike Moustakas had back-to-back home runs to open the second. It was the second time this season Perez and Moustakas hit consecutive homers, having also done it April 23 at Cleveland. "We like hitting in the hot air," Perez said. Royals rookie Yordano Ventura, tagged for six runs and nine hits in 4 1/3 innings in his previous start at Boston, left after 6 1/3 innings. He gave up three earned runs and struck out seven. Santana hit a solo homer in the fourth and a two-run shot in the sixth. "The first home run to Santana, Ace threw a pretty good pitch, a sinker down and away," Perez said. "The second one was in the middle in and up." Indians right-hander Josh Tomlin, who was 1-5 in his previous seven starts, was pulled after 5 1/3 innings. "I thought when he made mistakes with his fastball they made him pay," Indians manager Terry Francona said. "But he always competes every time and keeps you in the game." NOTES: RHP Jeremy Guthrie, a first-round pick of the Indians in the 2002 draft, will start Saturday against Cleveland. RHP Zack McAllister will start for the Indians. ... Cleveland RHP Justin Masterson, a 2013 All-Star who is on the disabled list with right knee inflammation, made his second rehab start Friday with Triple-A Columbus. He allowed five runs, four hits and six walks in 6 2/3 innings against Norfolk. . Butlers shot was the 75th pinch-homer in franchise history and the first since Justin Maxwell on Aug. 3, 2013. ' ' '