The Florida Panthers announced that starting goaltender Roberto Luongo has been placed on injured reserve with a knee injury suffered in team’s season-opening game against the Tampa Bay Lightning. The Panthers lost the game in a shootout.
Story on #FlaPanthers losing Roberto Luongo to knee injury updated as Panthers place their goalie on IR and recall Michael Hutchinson from AHL Springfield. No update on severity of injury. Panthers back @PanthersIceDen tomorrow at 11. https://t.co/Q3c9OOCTvI
— George Richards (@GeorgeRichards) October 7, 2018
Roberto Luongo Placed on Injured Reserve
The move means that Luongo will miss the next seven days, at a minimum. Backup goalie James Reimer replaced Luongo on Saturday and will likely get the bulk of the work while Luongo is out injured. The Panthers recalled goaltender Michael Hutchinson from their AHL affiliate in Springfield.
Last season, Luongo played in 35 games with 33 starts. He went 18-11-2 with a .929 save percentage and 2.47 goals-against-average. He also had three shutouts. The 39-year-old goaltender is still capable of making saves when healthy but his health has been an issue in recent years. Now in his 19th NHL season, Luongo was playing in his 1002nd career game. He finished ninth in Vezina Trophy voting last season.
Reimer played in 44 games with 42 starts. He went 22-14-6 with a .913 save percentage and 2.99 goals-against-average. He also put up four shutouts. Reimer is in his ninth NHL season, and third with the Florida Panthers.
Hutchinson signed with the Panthers as a free agent from the Winnipeg Jets this summer. He only played three games for Winnipeg in 2017-18, spending most of last season in the AHL. Over his five-year NHL career, Hutchinson has played 102 games with 87 starts. He has a 43-39-11 record with a .910 save percentage and a 2.65 goals-against-average. Hutchinson also has three career shutouts.
Main Photo: NEWARK, NJ – NOVEMBER 27: Florida Panthers goalie Roberto Luongo (1) during the first period of the National Hockey League game between the New Jersey Devils and the Florida Panthers on November 27, 2017, at the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ. (Photo by Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
