Roberto Luongo is being honest about his play and putting team above self.

Florida Panthers general manager and interim head coach Tom Rowe will give James Reimer the start Sunday against Ottawa, and based on how he's been playing lately, Luongo fully endorses the decision.

"Right now I don’t deserve to be playing. That’s the bottom line," Luongo said, according to George Richards of the Miami Herald. "For me, everything is about the team and us winning games. James Reimer gives us a better chance to win every night than I am. Until I figure my (game) out this is the way it should go I think."

Luongo hasn't been at his best in recent days. Over his past six starts, he's allowed 23 goals on 180 shots, good for a .872 save percentage. The Panthers have gone 4-2-0 in those games, but Reimer - who has started three of the past five games - is rolling with a .927 save percentage in February, and may be seeing the puck a bit better than his counterpart.

Florida enters Sunday's action sitting two points behind Boston in the race for a playoff spot, and can ill afford any missteps before the end of the season.

Reimer was signed to a five-year deal last summer as insurance for Luongo, who underwent shoulder labrum surgery around that time. Right now, that's looking like as shrewd a move as any the Panthers made in the offseason.