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Roberto Luongo
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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 major junior hockey career at the age of 15. He joined the Canadian 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 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 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.
Florida Panthers
Islanders General Manager Mike Milbury suddenly traded him to the Florida Panthers on June 24, 2000, along with Olli Jokinen for forwards Mark Parrish and Oleg Kvasha.
Luongo played 47 games as a Panther in 2000-01 and posted a .920 save percentage. Part way through another disappointing season in 2001, the Panthers hired new coach "Iron Mike" Keenan. His reputation preceding him, Keenan arrived already well known for frequently and unexpectedly pulling his goaltenders — once even making four goalie changes in one period. His arrival however, did not appear to phase a stoic Luongo."It isn't that big a deal," Luongo said, "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 while maintaining a .918 save percentage. The following year 2003-04 he placed second in voting for the Vezina Trophy after facing the most shots in a single season by an NHL goaltender (2,475). Despite seeing unprecedented amounts of rubber Luongo posted a 2.43 GAA and a .931 save percentage, which was first among goalies with 50-plus starts (Luongo had 72). Not surprisingly, Luongo also set an NHL record for most saves in a single season with 2,303 while picking up 7 shutouts, good enough for fifth in the league. Ultimately, Luongo lost out to fellow Montrealer Martin Brodeur for the league's top goalie. 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, "but Roberto has to learn how to really win as does the rest of the team." He ended 2004 winning the World Cup of Hockey Championship with Team Canada.
Vancouver Canucks
 Luongo warming up before a game in 2007 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 led the Canucks to their first playoff appearance since the 2003-2004 campaign, and the first post-season of his own career; they were then eliminated in the second round by the eventual Stanley Cup Champion Anaheim Ducks. 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. 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.
On November 29, 2007, Luongo made 26 saves in a 2-0 game against the Columbus Blue Jackets. This was his third consecutive shutout (a grand total of 195:34 without being scored on), breaking the previous Canucks record for the longest shutout streak[1].
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). Luongo and the Canucks defeated the Stars after Dallas came back from the 3-1 deficit to tie the series forcing a game 7. Luongo then bravely kept the Canucks in their next series against the eventual Stanley Cup winners, the Anaheim Ducks, but even with Luongo's brilliance the Canucks fell 3-1 in the series with game 5 heading back to California. In Game 5, Luongo stopped 60 of 62 shots in a brilliant performance that went into double overtime. Luongo and the Canucks forced the game to OT with some late game heroics by Alex Burrows, but Luongo missed the first three minutes of the first overtime, forcing back-up Dany Sabourin into the game. At the time it was speculated that the reason Luongo did not play the opening minutes of OT was because of an equipment malfunction. However after the series had ended, it was revealed that Luongo had an untimely case of diarrhea.[1]
Awards & Achievements
- 2006-2007 - Named to the NHL First All-Star Team
- 2006-2007 - Canucks Most Exciting Player Award[2]
- 2006-2007 - Cyclone Taylor Award (Canucks MVP)[2]
- 2006-2007 - Mark Messier Leadership Award
- 2006-2007 - The Molson Cup (Most Molson Cup Selections)[2]
- 2006-2007 - Played in the NHL All-Star Game (Western conference starting goaltender)
- 2003-2004 - World Cup of Hockey Championship with Team Canada
- 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
Movements
Career statistics
Regular season
Playoffs
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| Season
| Team
| League
| GP
| W
| L
| MIN
| GA
| SO
| GAA
| SA
| SV%
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| 1995-96
| Val d'Or
| QMJHL
| 3
| 0
| 1
| 68
| 5
| 0
| 4.41
| --
| --
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| 1996-97
| Val d'Or
| QMJHL
| 13
| 8
| 5
| 777
| 44
| 0
| 3.39
| --
| --
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| 1997-98
| Val d'Or
| QMJHL
| 17
| 14
| 3
| 1019
| 37
| 2
| 2.17
| --
| --
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| 1998-99
| Acadie-Bathurst
| QMJHL
| 23
| 16
| 6
| 1400
| 64
| 0
| 2.74
| --
| --
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| 1999-00
| Lowell
| AHL
| 6
| 3
| 3
| 359
| 18
| 0
| 3.00
| 222
| .919
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| 2006-07
| Vancouver Canucks
| NHL
| 12
| 5
| 7
| 847
| 25
| 0
| 1.77
| 427
| .941
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| NHL Totals
| 12
| 5
| 7
| 847
| 25
| 0
| 1.77
| 427
| .941
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| QMJHL Totals
| 56
| 38
| 15
| 3264
| 150
| 2
| 2.75
| --
| --
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International play
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.
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| Year
| Team
| Event
| GP
| W
| L
| T
| SO
| GAA
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| 1998
| Canada
| WJC
| 3
| 0
| 0
| 0
| 0
| 2.89
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| 1999
| Canada
| WJC
| 7
| 4
| 2
| 1
| 0
| 1.93
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| 2001
| Canada
| WC
| 2
| 1
| 0
| 0
| 0
| 1.44
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| 2003
| Canada
| WC
| 4
| 3
| 0
| 1
| 1
| 1.98
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| 2004
| Canada
| WC
| 7
| 5
| 1
| 1
| 1
| 2.32
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| 2004
| Canada
| WCH
| 1
| 1
| 0
| 0
| 0
| 2.82
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| 2005
| Canada
| WC
| 2
| 1
| 0
| 1
| 1
| 1.50
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| 2006
| Canada
| Oly
| 2
| 1
| 1
| 0
| 0
| 1.51
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| Junior Int'l Career Total
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| 10
| 4
| 2
| 1
| 0
| 2.22
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| Senior Int'l Career Total
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| 18
| 12
| 2
| 3
| 3
| 1.99
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External links
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