Roberto Luongo returns to Panthers in special adviser to general manager role
SUNRISE, Fla. –Florida Panthers President of Hockey Operations & General Manager Dale Tallon announced today that Roberto Luongo has been named the club’s Special Advisor to the General Manager.
“I’ve had the honor and privilege to work with Roberto during his time playing for the Panthers and am proud to welcome him to our franchise’s hockey operations staff,” said Tallon. “Roberto always approached every game with an unmatched work ethic and we are confident he will take to this new role with the same passion. A cornerstone player in our franchise’s history, we are thrilled that ‘Lu’ will have a hand in shaping our franchise’s future.”
Luongo, 40, joins the Panthers hockey operations staff following an illustrious playing career that spanned 19 NHL seasons, including 11 with Florida.
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, Fla., resident helped lead the Panthers to an Atlantic Division title and a franchise-best 103-point regular season in 2015-16.
Officially retiring from the NHL on June 26, 2019, Luongo 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). He is of only three goaltenders in NHL history to have played 1,000 NHL games.
Originally selected by the New York Islanders in the first round (fourth overall) of the 1997 NHL Draft, Luongo appeared in 1,044 career NHL games for the NY Islanders (1999-00), Vancouver Canucks (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. Luongo is one of only two goaltenders in NHL history to have won 200 regular season games with two different franchises (Florida/Vancouver).
In his playing 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).
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 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.
On March 7, 2020, the Panthers will retire Luongo’s jersey no.1 prior to their 7 PM game against the Montreal Canadiens. He was inducted to the Broward County Sports Hall of Fame on Oct. 29, 2019.
