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Florida Panthers: Roberto Luongo’s 2017-18 Season Recap

By Kevin Fielder

SUNRISE, FL - APRIL 03: Florida Panthers goaltender Roberto Luongo (1) blocks the puck during the second period in a game between the Florida Panthers and the Nashville Predators on April 03, 2018 at BB&T Center, in Miami, FL. (Photo by Juan Salas/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
SUNRISE, FL - APRIL 03: Florida Panthers goaltender Roberto Luongo (1) blocks the puck during the second period in a game between the Florida Panthers and the Nashville Predators on April 03, 2018 at BB&T Center, in Miami, FL. (Photo by Juan Salas/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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Roberto Luongo isn’t getting any younger as ‘Father Time’ is bound to catch up with him, but as of now, Luongo is still a quality goaltender who will start next season as the undisputed number one for the Florida Panthers.

Roberto Luongo’s impact for the Panthers isn’t just about his performance on the ice, and that is clear. While Luongo is a talented player who has pushed the Florida Panthers to the next level, his real impact was best seen before a game on February 22nd, when the Panthers took to honor the victims of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas shooting that happened on Valentine’s Day:

Luongo was the focal point of the pregame honoring that took place. A Parkland citizen whose wife was born and raised in the Parkland area, it was no surprise that the words uttered by Luongo resonated with everyone from fellow teammates who live in Parkland to fans.

In every way, Roberto is ‘Mr. Panther.’ A servant to the community and someone who has made it clear that when his career is over, he’d love to live in Florida. It’s no surprise that he’s become a fan favorite to many fans and there should be no surprise if Luongo is one of, or if not, the first Panther to have their number retired by the club.

Even looking past his impact off the ice to his impact on the ice, it’s no surprise that Florida continues to use Luongo as their starting goaltender, with consistent performances and jaw-dropping saves.

The 2017-18 season was no different for Luongo, where despite being 38-years-old for most of the season and playing in his 19th season in the NHL, he was arguably the best goalie for the Panthers. In 35 games played (33 started) this season, Roberto finished with an 18-11-0 record, allowing just 2.47 goals per game and saving .929% of the shots he faced.

Luongo posted a quality starts percentage of 66%, which happens to be above the league average for netminders (60%). Overall, he finished with just 3 really bad starts or starts with less than 85% of shots saved.

On a league-wide scale, Luongo’s impact is even more impressive. He finished above average in wins, shutouts, GAA (goals against average) and SV% (save percentage). In fact, his save percentage of .929% ranked 3rd in the NHL and ranked above the likes of Pekka Rinne and Marc-Andre Fleury, both of which are considered premier NHL goalies.

While it probably isn’t fair to compare Luongo to the likes of Rinne and Fleury, it’s hard to look at his impact for the team and not feel that he is one of the team’s most important players. In many ways, Luongo has been the Panthers’ best player since returning to the team back in 2013-14.

When the Panthers open the season in October, Roberto Luongo will start the season as the number one goalie. Regardless of who the backup is, Luongo should start in the majority of games, that, of course, is based on if he remains healthy, something Lu has struggled with in the past.

Moving beyond the 2018-19 campaign, his future with the Cats will very much be in doubt. While Luongo will retire a Panther, he’s nearing age 40 and to simply put it: Father Time is undefeated. Whether he continues to play past the 2019 season will be up to Roberto himself, but the Panthers will need to start planning for a future replacement.

Regardless of when Roberto hangs up his pads, he is a future hall of famer and for all intents and purposes, one of the best goalies ever. Lu is one of just three goalies to have played 1,000 games (1,001 for Luongo), and he currently ranks 4th in career wins (471) and has a strong chance to pass Ed Belfour, who sits in 3rd place with 484 wins.

Simply, if any player on the Panthers deserves the opportunity to lift up the Stanley Cup, it’s simply Roberto Luongo. A player who has played 10 seasons with the Panthers, Luongo is someone who best represents South Florida and someone who has embraced Florida as his own.

Next: Jamie McGinn’s 2017-18 Season Recap

A player who has never complained about opportunities and always puts his team first, Roberto Luongo can very well be considered the best Florida Panther ever.

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