Post by Bob McKenzie on Sept 29, 2020 11:15:46 GMT -5
2. Roberto Luongo - Canada - Val-d'Or Foreurs (QMJHL)
A traditional butterfly-style goalie that reacted well to shots and kept rebounds to a bare minimum. Had the natural size and talent to excel in the butterfly style that didn't depend on one's pure athleticism as much as one's focus on responsible positioning and quick reflexes. That being said, Luongo was quite athletic and, while rarely caught out of position, was able to make those quick lateral movements along the ice, or extend his upper body to make the necessary saves.
Roberto Luongo is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender. He played 19 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the New York Islanders, Florida Panthers and the Vancouver Canucks. Luongo is a two-time NHL Second Team All-Star (2004 and 2007) and a winner of the William M. Jennings Trophy for backstopping his team to the lowest goals against average in the league (2011, with backup Cory Schneider). He was a finalist for several awards, including the Vezina Trophy as the league's best goaltender (2004, 2007 and 2011), the Lester B. Pearson Award as the top player voted by his peers (2004 and 2007), and the Hart Memorial Trophy as the league's most valuable player (2007). Luongo is second all time in games played as an NHL goaltender (1,044) and third all time in wins (489). He employed the butterfly style of goaltending.
Born in Montreal, Quebec, Luongo is of Italian and Irish ancestry. Prior to his NHL career, he played in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) for the Val-d'Or Foreurs and the Acadie-Bathurst Titan, winning back-to-back President's Cups and establishing the league's all-time play-off records in games played and wins. Following his second QMJHL season, Luongo was selected fourth overall by the Islanders in the 1997 NHL Entry Draft. After splitting his professional rookie season between the Islanders and their American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Lowell Lock Monsters in 1999–2000, he was traded to the Panthers. In five seasons with Florida, Luongo established team records for most games played, wins and shutouts; despite several strong seasons, however, the Panthers remained a weak team and were unable to qualify for the Stanley Cup playoffs during Luongo's initial stint with the team. During the 2006 off-season, he was traded to the Canucks after failed contract negotiations with the Panthers.
In his first season in Vancouver, Luongo won 47 games, and was runner-up in voting for both the Hart Memorial Trophy (league MVP) and Vezina Trophy (best goaltender). Following his second year with the Canucks, he became the first NHL goaltender to serve as a team captain since Bill Durnan in the 1947–48 season. Luongo served in that capacity for two seasons before resigning from the position in September 2010. In the subsequent 2010–11 season, he helped the Canucks to Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals but lost to the Boston Bruins. During his eight-year tenure with Vancouver, Luongo became the team's all-time leader in wins and shutouts. He returned to the Panthers during the 2013–14 season, where he spent the remainder of his career, qualifying for the playoffs with the Panthers only once during that time.
Internationally, Luongo has competed for Team Canada in numerous tournaments. As a junior, he won a silver medal at the 1999 World Junior Championships, while being named Best Goaltender in his second tournament appearance. Luongo won two gold medals at the 2003 and 2004 World Championships and a silver in the 2005 World Championships. He also won the 2004 World Cup championship and appeared in the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin as a backup to Martin Brodeur in both instances. He succeeded Brodeur as Canada's starting goaltender during the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, winning a gold medal. On January 7, 2014, he was named to the 2014 Canadian Olympic hockey team, where he won his second Olympic gold medal in a largely backup role to Carey Price.
AWARDS
QMJHL
Mike Bossy Trophy - 1997
President's Cup Championship - 1998, 1999
NHL
NHL YoungStars Game 2002
NHL Second All-Star Team 2004, 2007
Mark Messier Leadership Award March 2007
NHL All-Star Game 2004, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2015, 2016
Scotiabank Fan Fav Award 2009
William M. Jennings Trophy 2011
INTERNATIONAL
World Junior Best Goalie 1999
World Junior All-Star Team 1999
IIHF World Championship gold medallist 2003, 2004
World Cup champion 2004
Winter Olympic gold medallist 2010, 2014
RECORDS
Val-d'Or Foreurs
Most wins in a season – 32 in 1996–97
QMJHL
Most shutouts in a season – 7 in 1997–98 (tied with Nick Sanza, 1974–75; Adam Russo, 2002–03; Kevin Poulin, 2009–10)
Most wins in a single playoffs – 16 in 1999 (tied with Michel Morisette, 1982; Eric Fichaud, 1994; Eric Lafrance, 2003; Jonathan Bernier, 2007; Ryan Mior, 2008; Nicola Riopel, 2010)
Most games played all-time, playoffs – 56 from 1995–99 (surpassed Marc Denis, 43 games played, 1994–97)
Most minutes played all-time, playoffs – 3,264:22 from 1995 to 1999 (surpassed Marc Denis, 2,518:07, 1994–97)
Most wins all-time, playoffs – 38 from 1995 to 1999 (surpassed Robert Desjardins, 30, 1984–87)
Most shots faced all-time, playoffs – 1,808 from 1995 to 1999 (surpassed Manny Fernandez, 1,351, 1991–94)
NHL
Most saves in a single season – 2,303 in 2003–04 (surpassed Félix Potvin, 2,214 in 1996–97)
Most shots faced in a single season – 2,488 in 2005–06 (surpassed himself, 2,475 in 2003–04)
Most shots faced in a single playoff game – 76 on April 11, 2007
Most home games played in a single season – 41 in 2006–07
Most regular season overtime wins, all-time – 49 (as of 2008–09)
Florida Panthers
Longest shutout streak – 144:51 minutes in 2002–03
Most shutouts in a season – 7 in 2003–04 (surpassed himself, six shutouts in 2002–03; tied with Tomáš Vokoun, 2009–10)
Most wins in a season – 35 in 2005–06 (surpassed John Vanbiesbrouck, 27 wins in 1996–97)
Most games played in a season – 75 in 2005–06 (surpassed himself, 72 games played in 2003–04)
Most games played all-time – 318
Most wins all-time – 108 (surpassed John Vanbiesbrouck, 106 wins)
Most shutouts all-time – 26 (surpassed John Vanbiesbrouck, 13 shutouts)
Vancouver Canucks
Most saves in a single game – 72 on April 11, 2007
Longest shutout streak – 242:36 minutes (2008–09) (surpassed himself, 184:20 minutes in 2007–08)
Most wins in a season – 47 in 2006–07 (surpassed Kirk McLean, 38 in 1991–92)
Most games played in a season – 75 in 2006–07 (surpassed Gary Smith, 72 in 1974–75)
Most shutouts in a season – 9 in 2008–09 (surpassed Dan Cloutier – 7 in 2001–02)
Lowest GAA in a season – 2.11 in 2010–11 (surpassed Dan Cloutier – 2.27 in 2003–04)
Most shutouts all-time – 33 (surpassed Kirk McLean, 20)
Most wins all-time – 224 (after end of 2011–2012 season; surpassed Kirk McLean, 211)
PROS:
Arguably the best and most consistent goaltender of his generation. Was the driving force behind the Panthers playoff run and the Canucks playoff runs.
CONS:
Signed a horrible contract that even he wanted to rip up.
“My contract sucks,” Luongo said at a press conference Wednesday after his team’s practice. “I’d scrap it if I could right now.”