CRANBERRY TOWNSHIP, Penn. — Marc-Andre Fleury is expected to man the cage Tuesday night as his Minnesota Wild take on the Pittsburgh Penguins at PPG Paints Arena, in what will be the veteran netminder’s final appearance in Pittsburgh before his career comes to a close.
After more than two decades in the big leagues — the first 13 years of them spent in black and gold — the 39-year-old announced in the summer that the 2024-25 campaign would be his last. He’s suited up against the Penguins nine times since leaving town, logging four years in Vegas and a season in Chicago before beginning what’s become a four-year stint with Minnesota. Ahead of his 10th, Fleury said he still hasn’t gotten used to the feeling of being a visitor in the city where his career began.
“It’s always weird coming back and being on the other side. Can’t say I’ve had my best games here,” he said Monday, after skating with the Wild at the Penguins’ practice facility, the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex. “But I’m looking forward to it. … It’s always special.”
The Sorel, Que., native joined the Penguins as the club’s No. 1 pick in 2003, debuting for the club in October of that same year. He went on to appear in nearly 700 games in a Penguins sweater, winning three Stanley Cups with the franchise. He remains the club’s all-time leader in wins, shutouts and games played in the cage, among a number of other categories.
Asked about the upcoming final meeting against his longtime teammate in front of the Penguins faithful, Sidney Crosby couldn’t help but chuckle at the netminder’s longevity.
“I’ve thought that a couple times, so I don’t know — I’m going to ask him if it’s for sure,” the Penguins captain joked Monday from his locker-room stall at the team’s practice facility. “We definitely have some great memories. I think any time you get a chance to play against him and see him, it’s great — I’m sure he’ll get a great reception.”
Fans were on hand Monday to catch an early glimpse of the one affectionately known as The Flower around these parts, filling the stands at the practice rink. A rare scheduling quirk had the Wild and Penguins overlapping at the facility, Fleury and his club watching on from the other side of the glass as Crosby and Co. ran through their drills on the sheet.
After Minnesota wrapped up their own practice, Fleury walked by another pad where kids from the local Penguins Excel Hockey Academy were running through a tune-up session of their own. The veteran hopped on to join them, taking a few shots from the teenaged hopefuls, who could barely contain their excitement as they wired pucks at No. 29.
The accumulation of decades of moments like those with fans here figures to culminate in a fair number of cheers rained down on Fleury when he takes the ice at PPG Paints Arena Tuesday night. Still, the ever-humble veteran said he’s hoping for a run-of-the-mill night — and aware he’s unlikely to get it.
“I don’t want anything different than any other game. I don’t expect much else,” he said through a wide grin Monday, after reflecting on the long, winding journey that’s brought him here. “I don’t know, I feel like sometimes, growing older, you get a little softer than you used to [be] with the emotions. … I think the most important thing for me will be to win, obviously. I want to play good. I want to go out, put on a good show, one last time here. But also help my team. Those two points are what matter the most, so I don’t want to get sidetracked out there.
“But at the same time, I want to enjoy.”
If nothing else, the fans set to pack the PPG Paints Arena stands are sure to enjoy it — their final chance to pay tribute to the man who began their golden era 21 years ago, who backstopped Pittsburgh to some of its brightest moments, while endearing himself to the city as a favourite away from the game, too.
For Fleury himself, amid all of that, the plan for Tuesday is a simple one.
“I think just deep breaths,” he said. “Take a good look around, to keep good memories. I was very fortunate to play here for so long, a lot of good souvenirs from this place.
“So, it will be nice to do it one more time.”
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