Roberto Luongo to become Canucks Ring of Honor next season

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There was looing, no booing.

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Roberto Luongo heard nothing but cheers as the legendary goalkeeper was introduced as a guest at the lavish Rogers Arena ceremony where teammates Henrik and Daniel Sedins retired their jerseys from the Vancouver Canucks. February 12, 2020.

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“I get chills every time,” Luongo told the Postmedia that night. “It’s a great feeling and emotion that the fans recognize. We are so happy to be here for the twins. What impressed me was how much they cared about others and put others before themselves. That’s what I love most about them.”

Then a natural question arose. What does it mean for Luongo if it will one day be recognized by the organization in some way?

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“Of course it’s always an honor,” he said. “I’m so grateful to be a part of an evening like tonight. Obviously it’s not in my hands, but hearing the loud cheers means a lot to me. Anything else is great.” prize.”

Well, now anything. It was announced Wednesday that Luongo will join the Ring of Honor next season.

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Sedin and Luongo were inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto on November 14th.

Luongo was a forward at the age of eight, but turned goalkeeper three years later after being cut by the Pee-wee team. And in his first game, he posted a shutout. It would become the biggest stopper in Canucks history and lay the groundwork for his two-time gold medal at the Olympics and World Championships.

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The durable stopper had two 40-win seasons with 72 saves in a legendary quadruple-overtime win in the first postseason in 2007, helping Team Canada to gold at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics. did. He was a three-time Vezina His Trophy finalist and was his second in the 2007 Hart His Trophy voting to Sidney Crosby.

After retiring in 2019, Luongo ranked third in his career with 489 wins, ahead of Marc-Andre Fleury (525). He remains second in games played (1,044), shots (30,942) and saves (28,409).

But it was also that he couldn’t combine his dominance on home ice by finding his game in Boston in a seven-game Gut Punch loss in the 2011 Stanley Cup Finals series. The infamous BC Place Heritage Classic he also had a snub, was accepted by trade, and had some regrets.

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“Of course, there will always be regrets, but they have made me who I am today,” emphasized Luongo. “I’m grateful for the time I spent in Vancouver, and mentally I’ve become a better person by not taking things personally and allowing things to roll off my back. rice field.

“And it was all because of my time, and I didn’t want to change that.

The introduction of Luongo’s Ring of Honor was voted unanimously by a prominent group of former players, broadcasters and other members of the hockey club.

Jim Rutherford, president of hockey operations for the Vancouver Canucks, said: “Roberto has experienced many of the highlights of his career as a Canuck player for Vancouver and because of those moments, he deserves to be seen as one of the best goaltenders our game has ever seen. He’s been a tough competitor for this team, a great leader, and we’re honored to be recognized for his contributions to this organization and city.”

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Canucks Sports and Entertainment chairman Francesco Aquilini said the club was thrilled to officially celebrate “one of the greatest Canucks of all time.”

“For eight years he has amazed, entertained, rebounded and made us believe. We look forward to permanently recognizing him in the Ring of Honor.”

Luongo will become the eighth player to join the Ring of Honor and the second goalkeeper after Kirk McLean. The Canucks’ Ring of Honor currently includes Orlando Curtainback, Kirk McLean, Thomas Gradin, Harold Snepst, Pat Quinn, Matthias Orlando and Alex Burroughs.