Like every offseason, rankings and lists have once again become a popular trend over the past month. Whether it is top prospects or breaking down a franchise’s best players, these articles provide the opportunity for debate from fans across the league. One good example is ESPN’s recent top 25 NHL player rankings of the 21st Century, which has omitted a former Vancouver Canucks goaltender and recent Stanley Cup Champion.
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ESPN’s list features five goaltenders who have all had sensational careers. The problem is that the list does not include Roberto Luongo, who is easily one of the top goaltenders of the century. While the five goaltenders deserve recognition, the Hall of Famers’ omission is a questionable decision, especially considering his statistics and career accomplishments.
The first way to show that Luongo deserves to be on this list is by looking at statistics from the 21st Century. Since the start of the 21st Century, which was January 1, 2001, Luongo ranks second in the NHL in wins (480), third in shutouts (74) and fourth in assists (23). Luongo is also only one of two goaltenders to surpass the 1000 regular season games played since the start of the Century and is the leader in regular season wins for two organizations. Based on statistics alone, one can argue that Luongo not only deserves to be on the list but is also one of the top three goaltenders of the last century.
Moving on to career accomplishments, Luongo has plenty. He was a finalist for the Vezina twice and the Hart Trophy in 2007. He won two Gold Medals for Canada at the Winter Olympics, including his standout performance in 2010, and also captured Gold at the World Cup and World Championships. Luongo has also achieved plenty after retirement, as he was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2022 and helped the Florida Panthers capture their first Stanley Cup in franchise history.
“Reminiscing through all the years that I spent here, the great memories, and funny things that have happened as well”
Step behind the scenes with Roberto Luongo as he was inducted into the Canucks Ring of Honour.#Canucks | @Rogers pic.twitter.com/znrcsAhEz2
— Vancouver Canucks (@Canucks) December 22, 2023
While other notable goaltenders, like Carey Price, Sergei Bobrovsky, and Ryan Miller, are missing from the list, Luongo’s omission is puzzling. As mentioned, he is not only one of the best goaltenders of the century but there is a case to be made that he is one of the top-ten goaltenders in NHL history. While there are no prizes to be won for those on the list, it is shocking that a player with Luongo’s resume would be excluded from the rankings.
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