Anytime there’s talk about goaltenders in the league, Marc-André Fleury’s name is among the first to pop up, and with good reason. The Penguins’ current all-time leader in games played (691), wins (375), and shutouts (44) has, by all measures, had an illustrious career.
So when he suited up one last time with the team that drafted him with the No. 1 pick in the 2003 NHL Draft, all eyes were on Fleury to see how much he had left in the tank.
Fleury didn’t disappoint. He played the third period in the Penguins’ 4-1 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets at PPG Paints Arena on Saturday and saved all eight shots he faced, leaving a lasting final impression.
But if NHL teams were expecting to convince him to suit up later this season, they will be left thoroughly disappointed.
Penguins’ Marc-Andre Fleury Confirms Plans For His Future
As Fleury received a flurry of chants screaming ‘One More Year,’ the goaltender had a few words in response.
“Thank you,” Fleury said. “I am tired. My hip is sore.”
Before the weekend, NHL insider Pierre LeBrun dropped a pretty interesting little update on the rest of the NHL’s plans for the Penguins icon.
LeBrun noted that a host of teams will be looking to convince Fleury to return to the ice in time for a postseason run. However, the goaltender’s statement on Saturday essentially poured cold water on those hopes.
Fleury, who was part of the Penguins’ all-conquering generation from 2008 to 2017 with three Stanley Cup wins, will now ride off into the sunset and take care of his hip.
However, whether his longtime teammate Sidney Crosby ends up calling time on his career in a Penguins jersey remains to be seen.
There have been rumors aplenty around Crosby’s wish to contend for another Stanley Cup, clashing with the reality of where Pittsburgh is at the moment.
The Penguins are essentially in rebuilding mode, and general manager Kyle Dubas has made it clear that he’s open to shipping out some veterans in order to hoard some assets for his rebuild.
Crosby’s agent Pat Brisson added further credence to the rumors of his client wanting out, stating that “anything can happen” with the Penguins star’s future.
With Florida Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov out injured for the foreseeable future, rumors have linked the reigning Stanley Cup champions with a stunning swoop for Crosby.
That said, Crosby has since reiterated his wish to remain in Pittsburgh, making a potential deal extremely complicated this year.