VANCOUVER, B.C. – Any parent of a goaltender will tell you that the list of tools needed to play the position effectively is voluminous and costly.
You need a helmet, neck guard, chest protector, glove, stick, hockey pants, leg pads, hockey socks, undergarments, socks, skates and everything else that comes with the trade of putting your body in the way of pucks that are fired sometimes at well over 100 miles per hour.
In addition to all of those tools, Minnesota Wild goalie Marc-Andre Fleury added one more item to his arsenal at a young age, and has played thousands of games with it to date:
A smile.
Sometime soon, Fleury – who turned 40 earlier this season – will play the final NHL game of a career that will undoubtedly be celebrated in the Hockey Hall of Fame in short order. He may have already done so, after he announced early on that 2024-25 would be the last campaign of his storied career. On Wednesday, April 9 in St. Paul, Fleury made what will surely be his final home start for the Wild, finishing with 24 saves in a chaotic 8-7 overtime win versus the San Jose Sharks.
In doing so, even though statistically it was not an evening that he will gloat about, Fleury grabbed another NHL record with his 70th career overtime win. More important than the record were the two standings points earned that night, pushing Minnesota to the brink of clinching a playoff spot. And even more important for Fleury were his children joining him on the ice for the national anthem before the game.
“I thought it was cool. And I think it’ll be good memories for me, for them, right,” he said, with a broad smile. “Just to be on the ice and see what it feels like to be there and having all the people around. And, yeah, that was pretty cool.”
Two nights later, in Calgary, he played the final dozen minutes in a 4-2 loss to the Flames, coming on in relief (to thunderous applause from the fans at the Saddledome) in relief of Filip Gustavsson. The original plan was to have Fleury start the Wild’s road finale in Vancouver, but that idea was scrapped when the team fell flat in Calgary.
Honored everywhere
Whenever the end officially comes for Fleury’s career, which began in 2003 after the Pittsburgh Penguins drafted him first overall that summer, Fleury will walk away as one of the game’s legends, on and off the ice. He backstopped the Penguins to three Stanley Cup victories earlier in his career, and led the expansion Vegas Golden Knights to within a few wins of another Cup in their inaugural season in Nevada.
Although he never played for a team in his home province of Quebec, Fleury was given a lengthy on-ice tribute and standing ovation in Montreal as he blanked the Canadiens earlier this season.
Fleury and NHL scoring star Alex Ovechkin were on-ice adversaries for decades when the goalie’s Penguins were battling the scorer’s Washington Capitals for Eastern Conference supremacy. But following their final meeting in St. Paul last month, Ovechkin and all of the Capitals lined up after their game at Xcel Energy Center to give Fleury one last on-ice handshake.
When the Wild played in Pittsburgh in October, there was another on-ice tribute of note. Same thing in Las Vegas when the Wild played there in January. For the humble Fleury, it has all seemed surreal.
“I think they were all nice. You can’t just pick one … It’s always fun to see those old videos,” he said. “In Pittsburgh, I was there for so long, it was my team for so long. So it was weird to be there for one last time. The send-off right from the fans, and even throughout the game, you know, the cheers and stuff. We’re human right? You get the goosebumps, the butterflies and all that stuff. It just brings back so many good memories.”
Of the NHL record number of goals scored by Ovechkin, he has gotten more past Fleury than any other goalie. In the moment, Fleury joked that Ovechkin’s on-ice salute was because the Russian sniper was sorry to see his favorite foil retire. But in retrospect, Fleury took a warm look back.
“Honestly, I loved what Ovi did. We had so many battles, and he’s one of the best. Now the best scorer. But one of the best players, and I think it brings the best in you,” Fleury said. “You’re trying to stop him and trying to beat him, and I don’t know, maybe I give a little less blocker than I used to in front of the net. I got in trouble sometimes with the older guys. Maybe I’m not mean enough in the crease. But like I said, I love the game. I respect all the guys in it and the way they play. I love to compete. Hopefully that’s something you see.”
Goalie coaches generally want their puck stoppers to be “quiet” not in terms of how much they vocalize on the ice, but in how calmly they play their position. There is a belief in some circles that an acrobatic save is a result of a goalie not properly playing his position, and the best goalies make simple, uninteresting saves because they’re positioned properly to cut off the angle of a shot.
Fleury, in practice and in accomplishment, has never been quiet. He roams the crease from post to post, sometimes sliding and sometimes diving to make save after save, and to collect win after win. Fleury will retire with his name second in the NHL record book for both wins and games played, only behind another Quebec kid — New Jersey Devils legend Martin Brodeur.
Furious race to the finale
With the 4 Nations break in February forcing a condensed NHL schedule that has had the Wild playing on a mostly every other night pace for the past six weeks, Fleury cannot fathom how rapidly the end of the ride is approaching.
“I just feel the last few weeks have gone by so quick. Like, we’ve been playing every other day pretty much. So it’s like you play, you go on the ice a little bit, go home, get to rest a bit, and then play again. And keep doing it, travel in there and stuff,” he said. “So I just feel like it flew by so quick. And it’s like pressure games, stressful games. We’re so close to making the playoffs here. But, yeah, playing is always more fun. You enjoy it more definitely. But I know my role. I know why I’m here for, and Gus has been amazing, very consistent, very good, and is a fun guy to cheer for.”
As for the “what’s next” after that final horn blows and the career is officially done, Fleury is keeping options open. He and his family will stay in Minnesota, at least for now. And after his wife and children have had their lives revolve around dad’s career for years, he said it’s time to give back to family.
“I think I want to be home more. I wanna be there for the kids’ birthdays, Halloween, Thanksgiving, whatever,” he said, admitting that a career in team management is more appealing that coaching, at least initially.
“I want to be there with them, and from there, I talked to my wife too. She’s sacrificed a lot for me to play hockey all these years.” Fleury said. “So see what interests her and we’ll see. I still gotta find something, though.”
After a life spent feeling at home in the crease with pucks being shot his way, Fleury will sure find a home and a love doing whatever comes next, and with family at his side.
And without question, he will do it with a smile.
The Penguins left this flower arrangement for Wild goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury near the visitor’s dressing room before Tuesday night’s game between Minnesota and Pittsburgh at PPG Paints Arena. Twenty-nine is the number Fleury wears with the Wild, and during his 13 years with the Penguins. The Wild won 5-3. (John Shipley / Pioneer Press)
Marc-Andre Fleury #29 of the Minnesota Wild keeps an eye on the puck behind Andrew Copp #18 of the Detroit Red Wings during the second period at Little Caesars Arena on Feb. 22, 2025 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
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