Roberto Luongo will be first player in Panthers history to have jersey retired
Roberto Luongo’s legendary status will be solidified this season when the Florida Panthers make him the first player in franchise history to have his jersey hung in the rafters.
The organization announced the historic event will happen on March 7, 2020 when the Panthers host the Montreal Canadiens. Luongo retired this summer, ending a 20-year career split between the Panthers, Vancouver Canucks and New York Islanders.
Luongo ranks second in NHL history in games played by a goaltender (1,044), third in wins (489), and ninth in shutouts (77). The 40-year-old is one of only three goaltenders in NHL history to have played 1,000 NHL games.
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"Roberto is a cornerstone of Panthers history and an icon of the game," said Panthers owner and governor Vincent J. Viola. "He has represented himself and the Panthers with tremendous dignity, determination and a standard of excellence throughout his career. Roberto exemplifies what it means to be a Florida Panther. 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."
In his 11-season tenure in Florida, Luongo swept franchise goaltending records for games played, wins, shutouts, and saves, just to name a few.
"I want to thank the entire Panthers organization for this incredible recognition," said Luongo. "It's quite an honor to be the first player to have his number retired by the Panthers. I'm truly looking forward to sharing this special night with my friends, family, teammates and the Panthers fans."
The accolades won’t stop here for the veteran. He’s a shoo-in for the Hockey Hall of Fame when eligible, and you could make the case he deserves a second jersey retirement in Vancouver.
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