Comments / New

Florida Panthers goaltender Roberto Luongo has retired

Roberto Luongo, has ended his NHL playing career ranking second in NHL history in games played by a goaltender (1,044), third in wins (489) and ninth in shutouts (77). The native of Montreal, Quebec, is one of only three goaltenders in NHL history to have played 1,000 NHL games. Among the seven goaltenders to play in 900 career games, Luongo’s career .919 save percentage ranks first.

A five-time NHL All-Star, Luongo owns the Panthers franchise record for games played by a goaltender (572), wins (230), shutouts (38), saves (16,068) assists/points (13), single-season games played by a goaltender (75, 2005-06), single-season wins (35, 2005-06, 2015-16), single-season saves (2,303) and single-season shutouts (tied-7, 2003-04). His 572 games played in a Panthers uniform marks the fourth-most in franchise history by any player.

The Parkland resident helped lead the Panthers to an Atlantic Division title and a franchise-best 103-point regular season in 2015-16.

Originally selected by the New York Islanders fourth overall at the 1997 NHL Draft, the Panthers acquired Luongo through a trade on June 24, 2000. In his rookie season with Florida (2000-01), Luongo appeared in 47 games and finished the season with a .920 save percentage and five shutouts. Luongo played five seasons with the Panthers before a trade to Vancouver on June 23, 2006. During his time with the Canucks, Luongo reached the 2011 Stanley Cup Final, led the NHL in wins (38) and was awarded the William M. Jennings Trophy. On March 4, 2014, the Panthers reacquired Luongo through a trade with Vancouver. On March 7, 2014, in his first game back in a Panthers sweater, Luongo posted a shutout victory.

One of only two goaltenders in NHL history to have won 200 games with two different franchises (FLA/VAN), Luongo appeared in 1,044 career NHL games for the NY Islanders (1999-00), Vancouver (2006-07 to 2013-14) and Florida (2000-01 to 2005-06, 2013-14 to 2018-19), posting a career 489-392-33-91 record, .919 save percentage, 3.12 goals against average and 77 shutouts. In his postseason career, Luongo played 70 games and posted 34 wins, .918 save percentage and five shutouts.

Throughout his career Luongo was a three-time finalist for the Vezina Trophy (2003-04, 2006-07, 2010-11), a finalist for the Hart Memorial Trophy (2006-07) and was a finalist for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy (2017-18).

On the international stage, Luongo is a two-time Olympic gold medalist, helping backstop Team Canada to gold in 2010 and 2014. In his career with Canada at the IIHF World Championship, Luongo clinched gold at the 2003 and 2004 tournaments and also captured gold with Canada at the 2004 World Cup of Hockey.

With the retirement of Luongo, Florida Panthers hockey will enter a new era in October. He will leave giant shoes to fill. All the best, Roberto! We are going miss seeing you between the pipes.

Talking Points