NHL Legend Answers 'Goalie Needed' Ad for Beer League Team

Most hockey players dream about playing in the National Hockey League one day. While the majority of players never come close to realizing those fantasies, several beer league players in Florida got the opportunity to face an NHL legend recently.

A South Floridian beer league hockey team posted a 'goalie needed' ad on Facebook as they prepared for a playoff matchup against the reigning five-time champions. But just when all hope for a goalie seemed gone, Hockey Hall of Fame netminder Roberto Luongo answered the call.

Instagram account @bryceshockeylife posted a video of Luongo entering the dressing room to the shock of the goalie-needy team, which was then promptly shared across social media.

"Give me some defense, okay?" Luongo joked as he entered a room filled with players who likely never expected to play alongside a hockey icon. The last time that fans were able to catch a glimpse of the 45-year-old on the ice came when he participated in the 2023 NHL All-Star Skills competition .

Fortunately, the beer league team's recruitment tactics paid off. According to The Hockey News, Luongo backstopped his team to a 4-2 victory over the five-time champions, likely providing everyone involved with a new core memory along the way.

Luongo is one of the greatest goaltenders to ever skate between the pipes, having split his career between the Florida Panthers and Vancouver Canucks. The former 1997 fourth-overall pick places highly among the league's all-time records for goalies, including wins (489, fourth), games played (1,044, second) and shutout victories (77, ninth).

Luongo was already a fan favorite based on his dominant on-ice play performances and off-ice personality. That's a fact that has only been further cemented after helping a beer league team to a win that they won't soon forget.