Where will goalie Marc-Andre Fleury end up at trade deadline?
By Neil Becker
The birth certificate might say 37 years-old, but there is no question that future first ballot
Hockey Hall of Fame goalie Marc-Andre Fleury can still play.
Fleury, who as hockey fans known proudly goes by the nickname ‘flower’, is currently in the
mist of a solid first season with the Chicago Blackhawks, which has seen him win 15 games,
while posting 3 shutouts, a 2.88 G.A.A. along with a 0.910 save percentage.
Back in early December Fleury made hockey history when ironically enough at Bell Centre in
Montreal, he made 30 saves in shutting out the Montreal Canadiens 2-0, which made him
only the third goalie to reach the 500- win plateau. Currently, as we head towards mid-
February, Fleury has 507 wins and sits third behind Patrick Roy (551) and Martin Brodeur (691) as the all-time NHL’s winningest goalie.
Known for his trademark smile and habit of rubbing his goal posts, Fleury was a 2003 first
overall pick of the Pittsburgh Penguins. During his 12-year stint in Steel City, this Sorel
Quebec resident’s stock soared as he emerged into a star and helped the Penguins capture
the 2009, 2016 and 2017 Stanley Cup. While a Penguin, Fleury was also chosen to compete
in the 2011 and 2015 All-Star Game. With Pittsburgh, ‘flower’ recorded 380 wins before
getting chosen by the Vegas Golden Knights in the 2017 Expansion Draft.
Fleury’s popularity continued in Vegas where during that expansion season, he helped lead
The Golden Knights to the Stanley Cup finals where they eventually fell short against the
Washington Capitals.
He would go on to play four seasons in the dessert where he was named to the 2018, 2019
and 2020 All-Star team. ‘Flower’, who totaled 117 wins as a Golden Knight, is the reigning
Vezina Trophy winner. Last year, in what was his final season in the dessert, he posted a
26-10-0 record with 6 shutouts and a 1.98 G.A.A.
In the off-season, Fleury was unexpectantly traded to the Blackhawks. Even though they
obtained this blue- chip goalie along with number-one defenceman Seth Jones, the Hawks
still find themselves trailing the Anaheim Ducks by 14 points for that final playoff seed.
Looking towards the March 21st trade deadline, Fleury, who is on a one-year contract with a 7
million- dollar cap hit could obviously help a team with Stanley Cup aspirations. Last month,
there were rumors about the Washington Capitals inquiring about his services. Perhaps the
Edmonton Oilers, who are in a real playoff push, will reach out to solve their goaltending
woes by acquiring this future all-star. Fans can speculate, but the hockey world won’t know
until sometime on March 21st. NHL trade deadline day.