Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Luongo 1st player to get his number retired
Goalie’s No. 1 jersey will be hung from the rafters during special ceremony on March 7
SUNRISE — Roberto Luongo — the most popular player in Florida Panthers history — will become the first player in team history to have his number retired.
Luongo, who retired on June 26 after a stellar 20-year career, will have his No. 1 jersey retired on Saturday, March 7, against his hometown team — the Montreal Canadiens.
“It’s a great honor. When I found out [Sunday], I didn’t even realize I was going to be the first player retired,” Luongo said during a conference call with reporters on Monday. “Obviously, it makes it extra special and I’m looking forward to that night.”
The Panthers previously retired two other numbers — 93 for the team’s first president, Bill Torrey, to commemorate the franchise’s inaugural game in 1993, and 37 in honor of franchise founder H. Wayne Huizenga, who passed away on March 22, 2018. That number was selected by the Huizenga family in recognition of his birth year and lucky number.
Luongo said he was looking forward to returning for a 21st season, but his body was telling him otherwise.
“At the end of the day, I just decided to
listen to my body,” Luongo said. “I knew that I was at the point in my career, where my body didn’t want to go through the motions of a summer workout anymore and it was just getting harder and harder for me to prepare for the season to get my body ready to play. When the season ended, I had every intention on coming back. My mind was not thinking about retirement at all.
“There’s been a wide range of emotions over the last few months for me,” added Luongo. “To be honest with you, it’s been bittersweet to know that I’m stepping away from the game. It’s hard to let something go that you love so much.”
The Parkland resident and Montreal native ranks second in NHL history in games played by a goaltender (1,044), third in wins (489) and ninth in shutouts (77). He is one of only three goaltenders in NHL history to have played in 1,000 games.
“Roberto is a cornerstone of Panthers history and an icon of the game,” said team owner Vincent Viola. “He has represented himself and the Panthers with tremendous dignity, determination and a standard of excellence throughout his career. His level of commitment to this franchise, his teammates, his family and the South Florida community is second to none. There is no player more deserving to be the first Florida Panther to have his jersey number retired.”
The Panthers originally acquired Luongo in a trade with the New York Islanders on June 24, 2000.
During his first five seasons with the Panthers, Luongo tied for the third-most shutouts (26), was a finalist for the 2003-04 Vezina Trophy and played in the 2004 All-Star Game. He spent the next eight seasons with Vancouver before returning to the Panthers in 2014.
“A true professional, competitor and gentleman, Roberto set the standard for players in this organization,” said Panthers general manager Dale Tallon. “There was never a question in any of our minds that Roberto would be the first Panthers player to have his number retired by the franchise. One of the game’s most iconic goaltenders, he gave his heart and soul to the Panthers and the South Florida community and carried himself with dignity, modesty and humor.”
Luongo, a five-time All Star, has 489 career wins — the third-most in NHL history behind only Martin Brodeur and Patrick Roy.
Luongo played 11 seasons with the Panthers and is the team’s all-time leader in wins (230), shutouts (38) and saves (16,068). His 572 games played in a Panthers uniform marks the fourthmost in franchise history by any player.
Luongo, the fourth pick in the 1997 draft by the Islanders, also was a two-time Olympic gold medalist for Canada (2010, 2014) and led the team to the 2004 World Cup of Hockey title.