Career Timeline of Roberto Luongo: Major Achievements and Milestones

How Roberto Luongo built a successful career. Explore key moments that defined the journey.

Roberto Luongo, a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender, had a distinguished 19-season NHL career with the Islanders, Panthers, and Canucks. Inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2022, he was a two-time All-Star and a William M. Jennings Trophy winner. He was also a finalist for the Vezina, Pearson, and Hart trophies. Luongo ranks third in all-time games played by an NHL goaltender (1,044) and fourth in all-time wins (489). Notably, he utilized the butterfly style of goaltending throughout his career.

Sections (4)

Full Timeline Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Challenges & Struggles

1995: World U-17 Hockey Challenge

In 1995, Roberto Luongo made his international debut at the World U-17 Hockey Challenge in Moncton, New Brunswick, with Team Québec, winning bronze.

1995: Highest-Drafted Goaltender in QMJHL History

In 1995, the Val-d'Or Foreurs made Roberto Luongo the highest-drafted goaltender in Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) history, at second overall.

1996: Started Junior Career with Val-d'Or Foreurs

Roberto Luongo began his junior career in the 1995-96 season with the Val-d'Or Foreurs, recording six wins in 23 games played.

1997: Selected in the NHL Entry Draft

In 1997, Roberto Luongo was selected fourth overall by the New York Islanders in the NHL Entry Draft after playing in the QMJHL.

1997: Drafted by the New York Islanders

In 1997, Roberto Luongo was selected in the first round, fourth overall, by the New York Islanders in the NHL Entry Draft.

1997: Continued to Play Junior with Foreurs

In 1997-98, after being drafted by the Islanders, Roberto Luongo continued to play junior hockey with the Val-d'Or Foreurs.

1998: Canadian national junior team

In 1998, Roberto Luongo was named to the Canadian national junior team for the 1998 World Junior Championships in Finland. He played backup to Mathieu Garon.

January 8, 1999: Signed with the Islanders

On January 8, 1999, after his performance at the 1999 World Junior Championships, Roberto Luongo was signed by the New York Islanders to a three-year contract worth $2.775 million.

November 22, 1999: Called Up to the Islanders

On November 22, 1999, Roberto Luongo was called up to the New York Islanders after a shoulder injury to backup Wade Flaherty.

1999: Traded to Acadie-Bathurst Titan

During the 1999 World Junior Championships, Roberto Luongo was traded from Val-d'Or to the Acadie-Bathurst Titan for the remainder of the 1998-99 season.

1999: World Junior Championships

In 1999, Roberto Luongo became the starting goaltender at the World Junior Championships in Winnipeg, Manitoba. He helped Team Canada to the gold medal game and earned Best Goaltender and All-Star team honours.

1999: Splitting Time Between Islanders and AHL

In 1999, Roberto Luongo split his professional rookie season between the New York Islanders and their American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Lowell Lock Monsters.

1999: Won Silver Medal at World Junior Championships

In 1999, Roberto Luongo won a silver medal at the World Junior Championships. He was also named Best Goaltender.

June 24, 2000: Traded to Florida Panthers

On June 24, 2000, Roberto Luongo was traded by the Islanders to the Florida Panthers along with Olli Jokinen for Mark Parrish and Oleg Kvasha. This happened after the Islanders drafted Rick DiPietro.

October 9, 2000: First Start with the Panthers

On October 9, 2000, Roberto Luongo made his first start with the Florida Panthers, making 18 saves in a 4-2 loss to the Boston Bruins.

2000: Traded to the Panthers

In 2000, Roberto Luongo was traded to the Florida Panthers after splitting his time with the Islanders and their AHL affiliate.

April 7, 2001: Franchise Record Fifth Shutout

On April 7, 2001, Roberto Luongo notched a franchise record fifth shutout of the season in a 3-0 win against the New York Rangers.

September 13, 2001: Four-year contract extension with the Panthers

On September 13, 2001, Roberto Luongo agreed to a four-year contract extension with the Florida Panthers, approaching his third NHL season.

March 20, 2002: Torn ligament in right ankle

On March 20, 2002, Roberto Luongo suffered a torn ligament in his right ankle during a game against the Montreal Canadiens, sidelining him for the remainder of the 2001-02 season.

January 20, 2003: Shutout streak snapped

On January 20, 2003, Roberto Luongo's franchise record-setting shutout streak, lasting 144:51 minutes, was snapped during a game against the Montreal Canadiens.

2003: Won Gold Medal at World Championships

In 2003, Roberto Luongo won a gold medal at the World Championships, representing Team Canada.

February 2004: Named to first NHL All-Star Game

In February 2004, Roberto Luongo was named to his first NHL All-Star Game, competing for the Eastern Conference and winning the Goaltenders Competition segment of the SuperSkills Competition.

2004: World Championships and World Cup

In 2004, Roberto Luongo played in seven games as the starting goaltender at the World Championships, winning gold. He also competed in the 2004 World Cup, stepping in as the starting goaltender when Brodeur was injured and helping Team Canada to the finals, where they won.

2004: NHL All-Star and Vezina Trophy Finalist

In 2004, Roberto Luongo was named an NHL All-Star and was a finalist for the Vezina Trophy as the league's best goaltender. He was also a finalist for the Lester B. Pearson Award.

2004: Won Gold Medal at World Championships and World Cup

In 2004, Roberto Luongo won a gold medal at the World Championships and the World Cup championship with Team Canada.

August 11, 2005: Panthers file for arbitration

On August 11, 2005, after negotiations failed, the Florida Panthers filed for arbitration with Roberto Luongo after the NHL lockout.

2005: World Championships Silver Medal

In 2005, Roberto Luongo played backup to Brodeur at the World Championships in Austria, earning a silver medal as Team Canada was shut out by the Czech Republic in the final.

2005: Won Silver Medal at World Championships

In 2005, Roberto Luongo won a silver medal at the World Championships with Team Canada.

January 2006: Turns down contract offer

In January 2006, Roberto Luongo formally turned down a five-year, $30 million contract offer from the Panthers.

April 13, 2006: Most-wins Panthers goaltender of all time

On April 13, 2006, Roberto Luongo became the most-wins Panthers goaltender of all time, passing John Vanbiesbrouck with his 107th win for the team in a 5–4 overtime victory against the Ottawa Senators.

June 23, 2006: Traded to the Vancouver Canucks

On June 23, 2006, Roberto Luongo was traded by the Florida Panthers to the Vancouver Canucks, along with Lukáš Krajíček and Sergei Shirokov, in exchange for Todd Bertuzzi, Bryan Allen, and Alex Auld. Following the trade, Vancouver signed Luongo to a four-year, $27 million deal.

October 5, 2006: Canucks debut

On October 5, 2006, Roberto Luongo made his debut with the Vancouver Canucks, recording a 3–1 win against the Detroit Red Wings.

2006: Traded to the Canucks

During the 2006 offseason, Roberto Luongo was traded to the Vancouver Canucks after failed contract negotiations with the Panthers.

2006: Appeared in the Winter Olympics

In 2006, Roberto Luongo appeared in the Winter Olympics in Turin as a backup to Martin Brodeur for Team Canada.

2006: Winter Olympics Debut

In 2006, Roberto Luongo was named to his first Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy. He played behind Brodeur and appeared in two games, making his Olympic debut with a win against Germany.

January 9, 2007: Voted as a starting goaltender for the Western Conference All-Stars

On January 9, 2007, Roberto Luongo was voted in as a starting goaltender for the first time in his career for the Western Conference All-Stars.

January 16, 2007: Hospitalized and shutout against Montreal Canadiens

On January 16, 2007, after being hospitalized due to taking a puck to the throat in practice, Roberto Luongo was discharged from the hospital and recorded a shutout that night against the Montreal Canadiens.

March 2007: Received Mark Messier Leadership Award

In March 2007, Roberto Luongo received the Mark Messier Leadership Award in his first season with the Vancouver Canucks.

2007: NHL All-Star and Hart Memorial Trophy Finalist

In 2007, Roberto Luongo was named an NHL All-Star and was a finalist for the Vezina Trophy. He was also a finalist for the Lester B. Pearson Award and the Hart Memorial Trophy as the league's most valuable player.

September 30, 2008: Named Captain of the Vancouver Canucks

On September 30, 2008, Roberto Luongo was named the 12th captain in Vancouver Canucks team history, replacing Markus Näslund. Luongo became only the seventh goaltender in NHL history to be named a captain, and the first since Bill Durnan in 1947-48.

2008: Named Canucks Team Captain

In 2008, Luongo was named captain of the Vancouver Canucks, becoming the first goaltender to be named captain in 59 years. Teammate Mattias Öhlund described him as a vocal leader.

January 15, 2009: Return from injury

On January 15, 2009, Roberto Luongo made his return to the ice after missing 24 games due to an adductor strain, in a 4-1 loss to the Phoenix Coyotes.

2009: Contract Negotiations and Draft Agreement

In 2009, Roberto Luongo and his agent began contract negotiations with the Canucks' general manager for a long-term extension. Despite initial reports of an agreement around the 2009 NHL Entry Draft, both parties denied it.

2009: Contract Negotiations

In 2009, with one season left on his original four-year deal with the Canucks, Roberto Luongo and his agent began contract negotiations with general manager Mike Gillis.

2009: Hosted Roberto Luongo Golf Open

In the summer of 2009, Luongo hosted the Roberto Luongo Golf Open to benefit Montreal Children's Hospital, Sainte-Justine Hospital, and a seniors centre network in Saint-Léonard.

December 31, 2009: Selection to Team Canada

On December 31, 2009, Roberto Luongo was selected to Team Canada for the 2010 Winter Olympics, along with Brodeur and Fleury.

September 13, 2010: Stepping Down as Captain

On September 13, 2010, Roberto Luongo confirmed he was stepping down as captain of the Vancouver Canucks.

September 2010: Resigned from Captaincy

In September 2010, after serving as team captain for two seasons, Roberto Luongo resigned from the position with the Vancouver Canucks.

2010: Contract Extension

In 2010, Roberto Luongo attended Team Canada's summer camp for the Winter Olympics and set a September 13th deadline to sign a contract before the Canucks' training camp. Later, on September 2nd, the Canucks signed Luongo to a 12-year contract extension worth $64 million.

2010: 2010 Winter Olympics Gold Medal

In 2010, Roberto Luongo helped Canada to four consecutive single-elimination game wins to capture the gold medal at the Vancouver Winter Olympics. He made a game-saving stop against Pavol Demitra in the semifinal and 34 saves in the gold medal game against the United States.

2010: Won Gold Medal at Winter Olympics

In 2010, Roberto Luongo won a gold medal at the Winter Olympics in Vancouver as Canada's starting goaltender.

2010: New Goaltending Coach

Prior to the 2010-11 season, the Canucks hired Roland Melanson as their new goaltending coach. Working with Melanson, Roberto Luongo began playing deeper in his crease.

2010: Relinquished Canucks Captaincy

Prior to the 2010-2011 season, Luongo relinquished the captaincy of the Vancouver Canucks to forward Henrik Sedin after serving in that role for two seasons.

February 14, 2011: Unbeaten Streak Ends

On February 14, 2011, Roberto Luongo's 21-game regulation unbeaten streak ended with a loss against the St. Louis Blues.

December 2011: Resuming as Starter

By December 2011, Roberto Luongo resumed as the team's starter for the Vancouver Canucks with an improved performance.

2011: William M. Jennings Trophy Winner

In 2011, Roberto Luongo won the William M. Jennings Trophy, along with backup Cory Schneider, for having the lowest goals against average in the league.

June 2012: Schneider Signed and Trade Speculation

In June 2012, Cory Schneider was signed to a three-year $12 million contract, which made Roberto Luongo expendable, but general manager Mike Gillis' efforts to trade Luongo were unsuccessful due to his $64 million contract.

June 30, 2013: Schneider traded to the New Jersey Devils

On June 30, 2013, Schneider was unexpectedly traded to the New Jersey Devils, reinstating Roberto Luongo as the starting goaltender for the 2013–14 season.

2013: Returned to the Panthers

During the 2013-14 season, Roberto Luongo returned to the Florida Panthers, where he spent the remainder of his NHL career.

2013: Playoffs against San Jose Sharks

In the 2013 playoffs against the San Jose Sharks, Roberto Luongo started the first two games after Schneider was injured. Luongo also came off the bench in game three after Schneider was pulled, and was the backup in game four, ending the Canucks' postseason. Following this, Luongo put his penthouse up for sale.

January 7, 2014: Named to Canadian Olympic Hockey Team

On January 7, 2014, Roberto Luongo was named to the 2014 Canadian Olympic hockey team, where he later won his second Olympic gold medal.

March 4, 2014: Luongo traded back to Florida Panthers

On March 4, 2014, Roberto Luongo was traded back to the Florida Panthers along with prospect Steven Anthony in exchange for Jacob Markström and Shawn Matthias. The Canucks retained part of Luongo's salary.

2017: Contract Details

In 2017, Roberto Luongo's contract continued, with the details including a $6.7 million annual salary through to the 2017-18 season and additional clauses allowing Luongo to facilitate a trade after the fifth year and the Canucks to facilitate a trade after the seventh year.

April 5, 2018: Luongo plays in his 1,000th NHL game

On April 5, 2018, Roberto Luongo played in his 1,000th NHL game in a win against the Boston Bruins, becoming the third goaltender in NHL history to reach this milestone. At the conclusion of the 2017-18 season, Luongo was nominated for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy.

February 10, 2019: Luongo passes Roy for second all-time in games played

On February 10, 2019, Roberto Luongo played in his 1030th career game against the Tampa Bay Lightning, passing Roy for second all-time behind Brodeur in career games played by a goaltender.

June 26, 2019: Luongo Announces Retirement

On June 26, 2019, Roberto Luongo announced his retirement from professional hockey with three years left on his contract, largely due to lingering effects from hip and groin surgeries.

2019: Joined Panthers' Front Office

In 2019, Luongo joined the Florida Panthers' front office as a special advisor to the general manager, Bill Zito.

March 7, 2020: Panthers Retired Luongo's Number

On March 7, 2020, the Florida Panthers retired Luongo's number, making him the first player to receive this honor from the franchise.

2022: Assistant GM for Canada's Olympic Hockey Team

In 2022, Luongo served as the Assistant General Manager for Canada's national hockey team during the Winter Olympics.

2024: Won Stanley Cup as an Executive

In 2024, Luongo won his first Stanley Cup as an executive with the Florida Panthers, who defeated the Edmonton Oilers in seven games during the 2024 Stanley Cup Finals.