Luongo nominated for Masterton Award

Honor is given to player for dedication

Panthers goaltender Roberto Luongo is the club’s nominee for the Bill Masterton Award, the Professional Hockey Writers Association announced Tuesday morning.

The award is given annually to the player “who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey,” and each team has one nominee. Jaromir Jagr in 2016 is the only Panthers player ever to win the award.

Luongo, 38, has battled injuries this season but when on the ice, has been incredible in net for the Panthers. He delayed retirement last summer and returned from a hip injury that ended his season last year. Earlier this season, he bounced back from a hand injury in October that forced him out for six games. He overcame a groin injury in December that made him miss 27 games.

“I don’t think I’d be dealing with all this stuff if I didn’t have that passion to keep going,” Luongo said earlier this season. “I’m enjoying the game more than I ever have, to be honest with you. My mind is in a spot where I’m just having fun playing. I have as much desire to win now as I did five, 10 years

ago.”

In 29 games entering Monday night, Luongo had a .927 save percentage and 2.55 goals against average. The save percentage would be his best in a season since 2010-11, when he finished third in Vezina Trophy voting in Vancouver.

Luongo is the oldest goaltender in the NHL and the sixth-oldest player to appear in a game this season.

He is approaching his 1,000th career NHL game, and would become just the third NHL goaltender to reach that mark behind legendary goalies Martin Brodeur and Patrick Roy. He ranks fourth in all-time wins.

“I’d love to play as long as I could, and I still feel that when I am playing, I can play at a high level,” Luongo said. “That’s important to me. As long as I can remain healthy, I’d love to keep playing.”

Luongo also played an important role in the Panthers’ efforts after a school shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas killed 17 people. Before the Feb. 22 game against the Washington Capitals, Luongo delivered an emotional speech that recognized the teachers at the school and praised the student activists.