Penguins Veteran goalie bids farewell to Pittsburgh fans as he retires
In what was likely his last game in Pittsburgh, Marc-André Fleury made 26 saves as the Minnesota Wild defeated the Penguins 5-3 on Tuesday. Approaching his 40th birthday next month, Fleury has suggested this season will be his final one. Tuesday’s game marked his 100th appearance with Minnesota, now in his 21st NHL season.
Originally from Sorel, Quebec, Fleury spent his first 13 NHL seasons with Pittsburgh, winning Stanley Cups in 2009, 2016, and 2017. Still a fan favorite in Pittsburgh, he received a warm standing ovation and chants from the crowd after a tribute video played during the first TV timeout.
Reflecting on the moment, Fleury—who had his wife, children, and mother in attendance—admitted to The Athletic, “I didn’t want to watch or look… the first time I came back, I looked [at the video] and my eyes watered up. I couldn’t see. So, I didn’t want to look. I just told the ref, ‘Drop the puck. Let’s go.'”
With Minnesota leading by a goal in the second period, Fleury made several highlight-reel saves: he lunged forward for one stop, used his glove like an oven mitt for another, and even sprawled into a snow angel to freeze the puck after a frantic sequence that ended with Lars Eller hitting the post from close range, as described by The Athletic.
When the final horn sounded, marking Fleury’s 563rd career win and capping a 5-1-1 road trip for the Wild, the remaining crowd of 18,195 at PPG Paints Arena gave him a standing ovation.
As the Penguins headed to the locker room, Sidney Crosby, who notched three assists, and veteran defenseman Kris Letang stayed behind to watch from the bench. Fleury joined them, receiving their advice: “Enjoy the lap,” they said, adding a friendly pat on the back. “And enjoy the moment.”
After the game, Fleury tossed his stick into the stands for a fan and conducted an on-ice interview. Before puck drop, he joined Evgeni Malkin, Sidney Crosby, and Kris Letang during warmups for a photo, reading heartfelt signs pressed against the glass with messages like, “Prank 4 a Puck,” “I was named after the GOAT,” “Fleury Fan Forever,” and “Thanks for the Memories.”
Reflecting on Fleury’s influence, Wild defenseman Brock Faber shared with The Athletic, “As a young player, there’s probably no one better as a role model. The person he is, the player he is — his daily habits, how he treats teammates and family, how hard he works. He’s simply the best role model I could have asked for, and everyone in this locker room feels the same.”
“It’s a complete honour,” replied Faber, “to be able to share the same jumper as him.”
Pittsburgh traded up to take an 18-year-old Fleury first overall in the 2003 NHL draft, and he responded by stabilising the organisation during a difficult period in its history.
Fleury leads in almost every significant goalie category in Penguins history, including wins (375), games played (667), shutouts (44), playoff wins (62), playoff games (115), and playoff shutouts (10).
With files from CBC Sports.