Roberto Luongo

Roberto Luongo
Born	(1979-04-04) April 4, 1979 Montreal, PQ, CAN
Height	6 ft 3 in (191 cm)
Weight	206 lb (93 kg; 14 st 10 lb)
Position	Goaltender
Catches	Left
NHL team Former teams	Vancouver Canucks Florida Panthers New York Islanders
NHL draft	4th overall, 1997 New York Islanders
Playing career	1998–present

Roberto Luongo (born April 4 1979, in Montreal, Quebec) is a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender with the Vancouver Canucks.

Playing career

QMJHL

Luongo began his junior hockey career at the age of 18. He joined the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League's Val-d'Or Foreurs for the 1994-95 QMJHL season, and the next year, he notched 31 wins, a club record. The year after that spectacular season, Luongo backstopped the Foreurs to the Memorial Cup finals and established a league regular-season single-season record with 8 shutouts. After he was traded to the Acadie-Bathurst Titan midway through 1998-99, he again pursued the Memorial Cup, but midway through that season the NHL intervened.

New York Islanders

Luongo was drafted in the first round, 4th overall in the 1997 NHL Entry Draft by the New York Islanders. Although the Isles returned 18-year-old Luongo to the QMJHL, they'd had every intention of getting him dressed for a 1998-99 NHL game. Contractual problems changed the plan.

Although Luongo finally signed a contract, he was "bitterly dismayed" upon his arrival with the American Hockey League's Lowell Lock Monsters, New York's minor league team in Lowell Massachusetts, even though he expected to play in the NHL. "When I got here I said to myself, "Just work hard and get some experience. Just try to get better every day, Luongo." He did not make his NHL debut until November 28, 1999, when he stopped 43 pucks during a 2-1 win against the Boston Bruins.

He had a 3.25 Goals-Against Average and .904 save percentage over 24 games as an Islander, on the NHL's third-worst team.

Florida Panthers

Fans were shocked when Islanders General Manager Mike Milbury suddenly traded him to the Florida Panthers in 2000, where Luongo would spend five seasons.

Luongo played 47 games as a Panther in 2000-01 and posted a .920 save percentage. Partly through another disappointing season in 2001, the Panthers hired new coach "Iron Mike" Keenan. Keenan is well known for frequently pulling his goaltenders unexpectedly — once even making four goalie changes in one period.

"It isn't that big a deal," Luongo said later that season. "He does it so much that we expect it. When you're sitting on the bench and you're an NHL goaltender and Mike Keenan is your coach you have to be ready, just in case." In 2002-03, Luongo faced over 2,000 shots, yet saved 91.8% of them. He placed second in voting for the Vezina Trophy in 2004 when he faced the most shots ever by any goaltender (2,475) in a season and still managed to maintain a 2.43 GAA and a .931 save percentage — first among goalies with 50-plus starts that year (Luongo had 72). He also set an NHL record for most saves in a season with 2,303, as well as picking up 7 shutouts, fifth in the league, but he lost out to fellow Montrealer Martin Brodeur that season. Still, Keenan found cause for criticism.

"He's played a lot of goal, he's had a good save percentage, he's had to stop a lot of shots," admitted Keenan of Luongo, "but Roberto has to learn how to really win as does the rest of the team."

Vancouver Canucks

Luongo was due to re-sign in Florida for the 2006-2007 season but things did not work out that way as Mike Keenan, the now former Florida GM, traded Luongo, defenceman Lukáš Krajíček, and a sixth round pick to the Vancouver Canucks for forward Todd Bertuzzi, defenceman Bryan Allen and goaltender Alex Auld, in the summer. Vancouver managed to sign Luongo to a 4 year, $27 million deal.

Due to his solid play with the Vancouver Canucks in the 2006-2007 regular season, Luongo made the NHL All-Star team as the Western Conference's starter as voted on by the fans. Luongo was named best goaltender of the all star skills competition in Dallas. It was his second All-Star appearance, and first as a starter. He was leading the Canucks to their first playoff appearance since the 2003-2004 campaign, and the first post season of his career until they lost to the Anaheim Ducks. Many fans consider him to be one of the best goalies in Canucks history alongside former greats Kirk McLean and Richard Brodeur (no relation to Martin Brodeur). On March 9, 2007, he broke McLean's club record of 38 wins by recording a 2-1 overtime win over the San Jose Sharks, and on March 15, 2007 became only the 20th goaltender in NHL history to post 40 or more wins in a single season after a 3-2 overtime win over the St. Louis Blues. In a random survey of 5000 people, 80% of the pollers thought Luongo was the best goaltender in the NHL. With a 4-3 overtime win over the San Jose Sharks on April 7, he tied Bernie Parent's previous NHL record of 47 wins in one season, which is currently held by Martin Brodeur of the New Jersey Devils, who had 48 wins that season. Shortly after the end of the season Luongo was nominated for 3 major NHL awards, the Vezina, Pearson and Hart.

2006-07 Stanley Cup Playoffs

Luongo's playoff debut saw him make 72 saves en route to a 5-4 quadruple overtime win over the Dallas Stars. He was one save shy of tying the all-time record for most saves in a playoff game, which is currently held by Ron Tugnutt and Kelly Hrudey (73). In Game 5 of the Ducks series with the Canucks down 3 games to 1 and trying to battle back, Luongo stopped 60 of 62 shots before losing in the second period of overtime. Luongo missed the first three minutes of the first overtime, forcing back-up Dany Sabourin into the game. At the time it was speculated the reason was an equipment malfunction, however after the series ended it was revealed that Luongo had to go to the washroom.[1]

Play for Team Canada

Luongo is a regular in the lineup for the Canadian national team, usually playing a backup role to Martin Brodeur. He has played in four World Championships, winning two golds and a silver, was on the Canadian team which won the 2004 World Cup of Hockey, and was selected for the 2006 Winter Olympic Games.

Awards & Achievements

• 2006-2007 - Named to the NHL Second All-Star Team
• 2006-2007 - Canucks Most Exciting Player Award
• 2006-2007 - Cyclone Taylor Award (Canucks MVP)
• 2006-2007 - The Molson Cup (Most Molson Cup Selections)
• 2006-2007 - Played in the NHL All-Star Game (starting goaltender)
• 2003-2004 - Named to the NHL Second All-Star Team
• 2003-2004 - Played in the NHL All-Star Game
• 2001-2002 - Played in the NHL YoungStars Game
• Mar. 2007 - Mark Messier Leadership Award

Trivia

His parents came from Santa Paolina, Avellino, Italy. Even though he's from Montreal (former city of Saint-Leonard), as a child, he grew up idolizing Edmonton Oilers goalie Grant Fuhr. He lived near Martin Brodeur's house, but never played against him due to the 7 years difference in age between the two. Another interesting fact is the local arena where Luongo played in as a kid was renamed to the Martin-Brodeur Arena.

Luongo didn't start playing hockey until he was 12 years old.

Movements

• June 21, 1997 - Drafted by New York Islanders in the 1st round, 4th overall.
• June 24, 2001 - Traded to the Florida Panthers along with Olli Jokinen in exchange for Mark Parrish and Oleg Kvasha.
• June 23, 2006 - Traded to the Vancouver Canucks along with Lukáš Krajíček and a sixth-round selection in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft (Sergei Shirokov) in exchange for Todd Bertuzzi, Bryan Allen, and Alex Auld.

Career statistics

Regular season

Season	Team	League		GP	W	L	T	OTL	MIN	GA	SO	GAA	SV%
1995-96	Val d'Or Foreurs	QMJHL		23	6	11	4	--	1201	74	0	1.31	?
1996-97	Val d'Or Foreurs	QMJHL		60	32	21	2	--	3302	171	2	1.32	.948
1997-98	Val d'Or Foreurs	QMJHL		54	33	19	0	--	3043	157	7	2.67	.948
1998-99	Val d'Or Foreurs	QMJHL		21	6	10	2	--	1476	77	1	3.92	.902
1998-99	Acadie-Bathurst Titan	QMJHL		22	14	7	1	--	1342	74	0	1.32	.914
1999-00	Lowell Lock Monsters	AHL		26	10	12	4	--	1517	74	1	2.34	.908
1999-00	New York Islanders	NHL		24	7	14	1	--	1292	70	1	1.34	.904
2000-01	Louisville Panthers	AHL		3	1	2	0	--	178	10	0	2.56	.917
2000-01	Florida Panthers	NHL		47	12	24	7	--	2628	107	5	2.21	.920
2001-02	Florida Panthers	NHL		58	16	33	4	--	3030	140	4	2.67	.915
2002-03	Florida Panthers	NHL		65	20	34	7	--	3627	164	6	2.34	.918
2003-04	Florida Panthers	NHL		73	25	33	14	--	4252	172	7	2.21	.931
2005-06	Florida Panthers	NHL		75	35	30	--	9	4305	213	8	2.97	.914
2006-07	Vancouver Canucks	NHL		76	47	22	--	6	4490	171	5	2.29	.921
NHL CAREER TOTALS				417	162	190	33	15	23624	1037	32	2.63	.919

Playoffs

Season	Team	League		GP	W	L	MIN	GA	SO	GAA	SA	SV PCT
1995-96	Val d'Or	QMJHL		3	0	1	68	5	0	4.41	-	-
1996-97	Val d'Or	QMJHL		13	8	5	777	44	0	3.39	-	-
1997-98	Val d'Or	QMJHL		17	14	3	1019	37	2	2.17	-	-
1998-99	Acadie-Bathurst	QMJHL		23	16	6	1400	64	0	2.74	-	-
1999-00	Lowell	AHL		6	3	3	359	18	0	3.00	222	.919
2006-07	Vancouver Canucks	NHL		12	5	7	847	25	0	1.77	427	.941
NHL CAREER TOTALS				12	5	7	847	25	0	1.77	427	.941

International play

Roberto Luongo

Medal record
Representing Canada
Men's Ice Hockey
World Junior Championships
	1999 Winnipeg
World Championships
	2003 Helsinki
	2004 Prague
	2005 Vienna
World Cup
	2004 Toronto

Year	Team	Event		GP	W	L	T	SO	GAA
1998	Canada	World Junior Championships		3	0	0	0	0	2.89
1999	Canada	World Junior Championships		7	4	2	1	0	1.93
2001	Canada	World Championships		2	1	0	0	0	1.44
2003	Canada	World Championships		4	3	0	1	1	1.98
2004	Canada	World Championships		7	5	1	1	1	2.32
2004	Canada	World Cup		1	1	0	0	0	2.82
2005	Canada	World Championships		2	1	0	1	1	1.50
2006	Canada	Winter Olympics		2	1	1	0	0	1.51
	Junior International Career Total			10	4	2	1	0	2.22
	Senior International Career Total			18	12	2	3	3	1.99

External links

• Roberto Luongo career statistics at The Internet Hockey Database
• Photos of various goalie masks Luongo has worn
• TSN bio page