The National Hockey League announced today that Florida Panthers goaltender Roberto Luongo has been named one of three finalists for the 2017-18 Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy awarded to "the player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey".
Panthers Goaltender Roberto Luongo Named a Finalist for Masterton Trophy
39-year old is one of three goaltenders in NHL history to have played 1,000 games
Despite missing 33 games this season due to injury, Luongo, 39, posted an 18-11-2 record, along with a .929 save percentage, 2.47 goals against average and three shutouts. The 6-foot-3, 217-pound native of Montreal, Quebec, returned to the Panthers lineup from injury on February 17, registering a 12-5-1 record, .930 save percentage, 2.36 goals against average and two shutouts during Florida's race for a playoff position, resulting in a 96-point campaign for the club.
On April 5, 2018 against the Boston Bruins, the five-time NHL All-Star set another historic milestone in his career by becoming only the third-ever goaltender to play 1,000 NHL games, joining Martin Brodeur (1,266) and Patrick Roy (1,029).
He stands third all-time in games played (1,001), fourth in wins (471) and is tied for ninth in shutouts (76). With his 200th win with the Panthers on Nov. 27, 2017, a 3-2 victory against the New Jersey Devils, Luongo became the second goaltender in NHL history, along with Roy, to register 200 wins with two different franchises (Vancouver: 252, 2006-14). He became fourth all-time in wins with his 455th career victory on Nov. 10, 2017 in Buffalo (4-1 W), surpassing Curtis Joseph. Luongo continued to climb the charts by tying Tony Esposito and Ed Belfour for ninth all-time in shutouts with the 76th of his career on March 19, 2018 in his hometown of Montreal (2-0 W).
Following the tragic events at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., on February 14, 2018, Luongo, a Parkland resident, addressed the BB&T Center crowd in a moving and passionate speech prior to Florida's Feb. 22 game against the Washington Capitals. The game marked Florida's first home game since the tragedy. Luongo and the Panthers went on to win the game (3-2 W) beginning a franchise record eight-game home winning streak, in which Luongo earned seven consecutive victories for his team.
A cornerstone in the history of the Panthers, Luongo is the franchise leader in wins (212), shutouts (37) and games played by a goaltender (529).
The Masterton Trophy winner is selected from a poll of the 31 chapters of the PHWA at the end of the regular season. Panthers forward Jaromir Jagr is the only Panther to have won the Masterton Trophy (2015-16).
Luongo previously won the 2010-11 William M. Jennings Trophy with goaltender Cory Schneider during their time with the Vancouver Canucks. The veteran netminder's Masterton nomination as a finalist is the first of his career. The two-time Winter Olympic gold medalist was previously a finalist for the Vezina Trophy (2003-04, 2006-07, 2010-11) and the Hart Memorial Trophy (2006-07).
Luongo was originally selected by the New York Islanders in the first round (fourth overall) of the 1997 NHL Draft. He is the only goaltender and one of only four players from his Draft class actively playing in the NHL (Jason Chimera - Anaheim Ducks, Patrick Marleau - Toronto Maple Leafs, Joe Thornton - San Jose Sharks).
A $2,500 grant from the PHWA is awarded annually to the Bill Masterton Scholarship Fund, based in Bloomington, Minn., in the name of the winner.
The PHWA first presented the Masterton Trophy in 1968 to commemorate the late Bill Masterton, a player with the Minnesota North Stars, who exhibited to a high degree the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey. Masterton died January 15, 1968 following an injury suffered in a game.
Luongo joins Brian Boyle and Jordan Staal as the finalists for this season's Masterton Trophy. The winner is selected by a poll of the Professional Hockey Writers Association (PHWA) at the conclusion of the regular season and will be announced during the 2018 NHL Awards presented by Hulu at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas on Wednesday, June 20.
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