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Florida Panthers’ All-Decade Team of the 2010s

By Cal Friedman

SUNRISE, FL - OCT. 5: Florida Panthers fans cheer on their team against the Tampa Bay Lightning at the BB&T Center on October 5, 2019 in Sunrise, Florida. (Photo by Eliot J. Schechter/NHLI via Getty Images)
SUNRISE, FL - OCT. 5: Florida Panthers fans cheer on their team against the Tampa Bay Lightning at the BB&T Center on October 5, 2019 in Sunrise, Florida. (Photo by Eliot J. Schechter/NHLI via Getty Images) /
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Goaltenders

SUNRISE, FL – APRIL 1: Goaltender Roberto Luongo #1 of the Florida Panthers is greeted by fans while walking out onto the ice prior to the start of the game against the Washington Capitals at the BB&T Center on April 1, 2019 in Sunrise, Florida. (Photo by Eliot J. Schechter/NHLI via Getty Images)
SUNRISE, FL – APRIL 1: Goaltender Roberto Luongo #1 of the Florida Panthers is greeted by fans while walking out onto the ice prior to the start of the game against the Washington Capitals at the BB&T Center on April 1, 2019 in Sunrise, Florida. (Photo by Eliot J. Schechter/NHLI via Getty Images) /

The 2010s decade was a very inconsistent one for the Panthers’ goalkeeping. In both years the Panthers returned to the playoffs, they were led by grizzled veterans leading stellar seasons, but otherwise, it was a position with more to be desired. The Panthers had five different starters throughout this decade, with not a lot of top talents.

Jacob Markstrom (also never truly started) and Jose Theodore just didn’t spend enough time with the franchise, with Tomas Vokoun and Tim Thomas only with the Panthers for one season in the 2010s. This left just two main starters to be selected from.

Backup Goalie: Sergei Bobrovsky (2019)

This was one of the most controversial ones for me, as both Bobrovsky and Theodore had limited impacts, but both undoubtedly the two biggest talents that played. Bobrovsky, only in his first season with the Panthers, hasn’t yet hit the heights as ones before him, but easily is one of the biggest free agency moves made by the Panthers.

Bobrovsky signed a 10-year, $72 million deal with the club on July 1st, making him the most expensive player in Florida history. With a 14-10-4 record and a 3.26 goals-against average, the numbers aren’t particularly impressive, but Bob will improve throughout this season, and into the next decade.

Starting Goalie: Roberto Luongo (2013-2019)

Arguably the first or second name on the team, Luongo fittingly had to be the number one for this list. Luongo will be the first player to have his number retired, on March 7th, 2020 versus Montreal. Returning from Vancouver to play out his final five and a half seasons with the Panthers made for a stellar finale for Luongo.

Averaging a 2.62 goals against average in these years, Luongo made one all-star appearance in 2016, when the Panthers made the playoffs as Atlantic Division Champions. Luongo posted a 2.35 GAA that year with a .922 save percentage. Luongo’s fantastic 2017-18 almost got the Panthers back to the playoffs, posting a career-high .929 save percentage in 35 games.

An unbelievable goalie and an even better person, Roberto Luongo was a model for the Florida Panthers franchise, and may go down as one of the best to ever put on the jersey.

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