Watch: Former Canucks goalie Roberto Luongo lifts Stanley Cup as Florida Panthers' special advisor 

By Abhishek Dilta

Modified Jun 25, 2024 08:06 GMT

It was a celebratory moment for former Vancouver Canucks goalie Roberto Luongo as he lifted his first Stanley Cup as a member of the Florida Panthers' front office.

On Monday night, the Panthers clinched their first-ever title after a hard-fought 2-1 win over the Edmonton Oilers in Game 7 of the 2024 Stanley Cup Final at Amerant Bank Arena. Luongo made a move to the Panthers in 2023 and now plays a key role as a special advisor within the organization.

Watch the video of Roberto Luongo lifting his first Stanley Cup below:

Before joining the Panthers, the 45-year-old Montreal, Quebec, native served as assistant GM for Canada's hockey team during the 2022 Winter Olympics.

Roberto Luongo reflects on Florida Panthers Stanley Cup win

Luongo reflected on the Florida Panthers Stanley Cup victory after the game. He acknowledged the extensive effort and dedication, whether in-game or behind the scenes, highlighted the relentless pursuit of success that has culminated in this triumphant moment (via Sportsnet):

"Amazing, just looking at everybody. It doesn't feel real right now. Putting a lot of work, whether that's on the ice or off the ice, over the last few years, but finally, got there," he said.

It’s unbelievable. I love building teams. I love putting pieces of the puzzle together making a great group of guys like this. Just to see it, it was unbelievable," Luongo added.

He also expressed a sense of admiration for goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky's resilience and ability to perform under pressure, especially after facing a tough challenge in the previous three games of the final:

"So happy for him [Bobrovsky]. I'm proud of him the way he responded obviously last week hasn't been easy, but in the biggest moment, he came through. So it's great"

Luongo thanked fans for their unwavering support throughout their run in the playoffs:

"I just want to thank, especially people for their support. You see a lot of messages over the last two months. I always enjoy going back I look forward to rolling back the next season"

Roberto Luongo was drafted No. 4 overall by the New York Islanders in the 1997 NHL draft. After playing only 24 games with the Islanders, he was traded to the Florida Panthers, with whom Luongo spent eight seasons over two spells.

After his first five years with the Panthers, Luongo joined the Vancouver Canucks in the 2006–07 season and went on to play for them for eight years before returning to the Panthers for his second stint.

He posted a 489-392-33 overall record with a .919 SV% in 1,044 career games.