‘This city holds a special place for me’: Roberto Luongo added to Canucks Ring of Honour
Luongo spent eight seasons in Vancouver, leading them to six playoff appearances, two Presidents' Trophies and a Stanley Cup Final
It was a night in Vancouver full of celebration as Hockey Hall of Fame goaltender Roberto Luongo was placed in the Vancouver Canucks Ring of Honour.
Prior to puck drop between the Florida Panthers and the Canucks on Thursday night at Rogers Arena, a ceremony was held for Luongo on the ice.
He was joined by his family, his wife Gina and their two children Gabriella and Giani, and former teammates Cory Schneider and Henrik and Daniel Sedin.
Luongo was also asked to drop the puck on the ceremonial pregame faceoff, with starting goaltenders Sergei Bobrovsky of the Panthers and Thatcher Demko of the Canucks coming to center ice to take the goalies-only draw.
During his tenure with Vancouver, Luongo led the Canucks to six playoff appearances in eight seasons, back-to-back Presidents’ Trophies, a trip to the Stanley Cup Final, an Olympic gold medal, and now the ring of honor.
Although Luongo’s exit out of British Columbia was complicated, placing him in the ring of honour is water under the bridge.
“You always want to leave a good impression,” Luongo said on Thursday. “This city holds a special place for me, and I always look forward to coming back.”
When being part of a locker room and travelling from city to city during his career, Luongo embraced the time spent with his peers as well.
“It was a great and special group,” he said. “I think guys generally love each other, care for each other, tease each other all the time. I remember countless ping pong tournaments, cards on the plane. [It was a] really tight group.”
Although Luongo spent countless hours on the ice and in the gym, each city provides a different quality of life on and off the ice.
Vancouver was not only a city that he spent eight seasons in, but eight years that his family spent in the city. He is taking this week to not only take in the ceremony but reminisce on their time.
“We’re looking forward to it,” Luongo said. “We are going to stick around for another day or so. We are going to reminisce a lot. Go back to where we lived, walk around downtown. This was a big part of our lives, our daughter started school here. It is always fun to be here, but to be here back with them makes it extra special.”
Prior to being traded in 2006, Luongo had no knowledge of Vancouver outside of family friends who lived in the area.
“I started doing research on the computer, and what can you say? It’s the most beautiful city in the world,” he said.
Luongo did make history in Vancouver when he was asked to be team captain.
The NHL had rule 14D in place, which states: “No playing coach or playing managers or goalkeeper shall be permitted to act as Captain or Alternate Captain.”
This was placed in effect in 1948. There were previously five goalies to ever be captain of their teams.
“I wear it as a badge of honor, it’s one of my proudest accomplishments as a hockey player,” Luongo said on the captaincy. “When you have that accomplishment that nobody else has, it makes it feel a little extra special.”
Given that the 2010 Winter Olympics were hosted in Vancouver, there was a bigger spotlight on team Canada to win gold on home soil.
Luongo was a major piece that helped Canada win in overtime by a final of 3-2 over the United States in the gold medal game at Rogers Arena.
“When the goal happened, so much pressure right in that moment, that weight was lifted off your shoulders, we wanted to get this done,” Luongo said on winning the gold medal in his home arena. “It was a euphoric feeling when the goal went in.”
There were a lot personal and team accomplishments for Luongo during his eight years in Vancouver.
Along with a connection to a fanbase within the community, bringing the Canucks to a game seven of the Stanley Cup Final, and the “Luuu” chants from fans after his many highlight reel saves.
Now, with his name in the ring of honor, Luongo’s legacy will live on for generations of hockey fans in Western Canada.
He himself will certainly never forget the memories they all create together.
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