Isn't it nice when you have a franchise legend that is able to step up and fill in during practice sessions when a current player is unavailable?
During the practice session for the Florida Panthers earlier today, goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky wasn't available to participate. Stepping in the crease for Bob was none other than the iconic Roberto Luongo, who played two separate tenures for the Panthers during his career.
Luongo took part in practice today at the new Baptist Health IcePlex, and looked like he could easily still strap on the pads in game action if he wanted to.
Panthers head coach Paul Maurice was full of compliments for Luongo afterward - with a little playful jab at the additional gray hairs he's sporting these days.
“He looked pretty good,” Maurice said of the Panthers legend. “All joking aside. If you stepped in off the street and you had no idea who’s in the net, he looked like an NHL goalie — except with a little more gray in the beard.”
“It was pretty cool,” said Panthers backup goaltender Anthony Stolarz, the other goalie on the ice Thursday. “Obviously he’s part of the organization. It’s pretty cool to see him out there playing and getting to see his pads which were pretty cool, having all of those numbers on them and whatnot. It was nice just chatting with him and seeing that he’s still got it. He made some big saves.”
Of course, Luongo is also known for his time with the Vancouver Canucks, and is arguably the best goaltender in Canucks history, winning a total of 252 games while wearing the blue and green. He began his NHL career with the New York Islanders before being eventually dealt to the Panthers, where he would soon establish himself as one of the NHL's best.
A blockbuster 2006 deal sent Luongo to the Pacific Northwest, where he helped the Canucks return to the postseason and come within three wins of the Western Conference Final.
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