Cheers of B次元官网网址淟uuuuu!B次元官网网址� once again rang out at VancouverB次元官网网址檚 Rogers Arena on Thursday as the Canucks honoured a trio of former players.
The familiar oratory ovations came as former goalie Roberto Luongo stood at centre ice with his former teammates, Daniel and Henrik Sedin. All three were recognized for their recent inductions to the Hockey Hall of Fame before a game between the Canucks and Florida Panthers.
Luongo thanked the standing crowd for supporting the trio.
B次元官网网址淥n a personal note, I really wanted to thank you guys for pushing me to be a better goaltender, pushing me to be a better person every single night,B次元官网网址� he added.
B次元官网网址 tributes narrated by former coach Alain Vigneault played on the big screen and each of the three players received a traditional blanket from First Nations leaders. Flanked by the Sedins, Luongo performed the ceremonial puck drop.
Rogers Arena has long held a special place for Luongo.
ItB次元官网网址檚 the rink where he backstopped Team Canada to Olympic gold in 2010 and the venue where he and his Canucks teammates reached the Stanley Cup final in 2011 before falling in Game 7 to the Boston Bruins.
B次元官网网址淭hose playoff runs, those were the best moments of my career,B次元官网网址� the netminder told reporters earlier on Thursday. B次元官网网址淪o I want to be able to kind of relive them a little bit here, the next little while and take it in and thank the fans for everything. I think itB次元官网网址檚 a nice way to cap it all off.B次元官网网址�
It wonB次元官网网址檛 be the last time the 43-year-old Montreal native is recognized before a Vancouver crowd. The Canucks announced Wednesday that heB次元官网网址檒l join the teamB次元官网网址檚 Ring of Honour next season.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 a great honour. IB次元官网网址檓 really excited about it,B次元官网网址� said Luongo, who now serves as FloridaB次元官网网址檚 director of goaltending and as a special adviser to general manager Bill Zito. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 nice to see that the work that I put in here for eight years is going to get recognized and IB次元官网网址檓 very grateful to be able to go up there with those guys.B次元官网网址�
Originally drafted fourth overall by the New York Islanders in 1997, Luongo spent eight seasons with the Canucks.
During his time in Vancouver, the team made the playoffs five seasons in a row. It was a special group that made that run, the netminder said.
B次元官网网址淚t was unbelievable,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淎nd sometimes when youB次元官网网址檙e in it, you donB次元官网网址檛 kind of realize it. But then you move on, you play for other teams, teams change. And now that you look back, itB次元官网网址檚 like you realize how special the group was and it was a unique group, right?
B次元官网网址淲e had different types of personalities in the locker room. And I think thatB次元官网网址檚 what made us so good.B次元官网网址�
Luongo closed out his career with the Panthers, spending five seasons in FloridaB次元官网网址檚 crease before announcing his retirement after the 2018-19 season.
He remains the CanucksB次元官网网址� franchise leader in wins (252) and shutouts (38), and tops the list in save percentage (.919) and goals-against average (2.36) among goalies who played at least 100 games.
That success has prompted many in Vancouver to muse about whether his jersey should be retired B次元官网网址� a decision Luongo said is out of his control.
He told the crowd Thursday night that neither honour is at the top of his mind.
B次元官网网址淚 know thereB次元官网网址檚 a lot of debate about the Ring of Honour and the (jersey retirement) but that stuff doesnB次元官网网址檛 matter to me,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淲hat matters to me is moments like this and sharing it with you guys.B次元官网网址�
Gemma Karstens-Smith, The Canadian Press
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