When Roberto Luongo was taken 4th overall in the 1997 entry draft no one batted an eyelash. Here was an 18 year-old kid from Montreal who’d put up a 3.12 GAA with a .910 Save % for Val D’Or of the QMJHL in the ‘96/’97 season. That might not seem too impressive on the surface, but you’ve got to understand that the QMJHL is a major scorer’s league. 140+ point seasons are the norm for the top offensive players. He took home the Mike Bossy Trophy that year as the league’s top draft prospect.

Luongo’s NHL rookie season seems cloaked in a dusty past. He finished the ‘99 season with the New York Islanders, going 3.25/.904. He was traded in the off-season to the Panthers for Mark Parrish and Oleg Kvasha on June 24, 2000 so Mike Milbury could land Rick DiPietro with his 1st round pick.

The 2003/2004 season (the last one pre-lockout) saw Luongo post a 2.43 GAA and a .931 save percentage. He’d kept his GAA under 3 since the 2000 season, and kept his Save Percentage +.915 over the duration of those years.

He was at .917 in 2000, .920 in 2001, .915 in 2002, .918 in 2003, and .931 in 2004.

In other words, you should have known he was good.

Playing for a perenially awful team the guy managed to post an 82-138 won-loss record in his career to go along with a 2.62 GAA and .921 SV %. That’s like Clemens going 5-15 with a 2.00 ERA and 1.15 WHIP for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.

Luongo is the best goalie in the NHL. Brodeur is #2, but Roberto is the man. In terms of fantasy production you’re still going to want to stay with Marty. Being the best doesn’t always translate to fantasy points. The Panthers aren’t this good and he’s not going to keep posting zeros to win 1-0 games. Luongo should finish the year with 7+ shutouts and 30+ wins. Brodeur will get you the shutouts, the GAA and Save %, but he’ll post 10 more Ws.

The upside should have been Luongo falling to the 2nd or 3rd round in your snake draft. Marty was a guaranteed 1st round pick. If you can still steam Roberto you should make your best pitch right now. He’s only 26 and he’s just coming into his own.

But after 2 shutouts the price is going to be awfully high.

Roberto Luongo Stats. And Scouting Info.