Some players have the talent to be superstars but have to wait until circumstances put them in the right place to prove it. After toiling for years on a losing team, goalie Roberto Luongo is finally getting his chance to shine with the Vancouver Canucks.
Originally a first-round pick of the New York Islanders (fourth overall) in 1997, Luongo played just one season on Long Island before getting traded to the Florida Panthers. He quickly became a fixture in South Florida, though his steady improvement went largely unnoticed due to his team's consistent mediocrity.
Luongo's most impressive achievements came during the 2003-04 season, when he recorded a .931 save percentage and seven shutouts despite facing a then-record 2,475 shots and playing for a sub-.500 team. He put up another workhorse performance in 2005-06, appearing in 75 games and leading the Panthers to a winning season, but the team traded him to the Canucks before the 2006-07 campaign.
He was exactly what the doctor ordered in Vancouver. Playing an eye-popping 76 games, Luongo turned in his best save percentage ever and won 47 games, which tied a previous NHL record (though it was broken by Martin Brodeur of the New Jersey Devils the same season). Luongo made a memorable playoff debut as well, turning away 72 shots in a thrilling four-OT win against the Dallas Stars.
Now that he's playing for a contender, hockey card collectors are starting to recognize Luongo for what he is: one of the most talented goaltenders in the NHL. Collecting all of his rookie cards is a relatively simple task, as he appears in only five 1997-98 releases. Only his Zenith # 97 is relatively expensive and hard to find, and even that should stay under $100 unless Luongo can lead the Canucks to a Stanley Cup in the near future.
Roberto Luongo 1997-98 Rookie Cards
- Beehive # 69
- Black Diamond # 131
- Donruss Elite # 51
- Zenith # 97
- Zenith 5 x 7 # 77