Fleury helps Wild top Penguins in possible last game against former team

“Marc was great. A great evening,” Wild coach John Hynes said. “… The way he performed. I told the team after the game, just his performance and his competitiveness was great to see. It was a big difference in the game. Then the way the players play in front of him. It’s fun to be involved in that and see how much he battles and how much he means to the team, and you can see his impact he has the group, how they battle and how bad they want to win for him.”

It may have been the goalie’s final game against the team he played his first 13 NHL seasons with (2003-17) and won the Stanley Cup with three times (2009, 2016, 2017). Fleury is in the final season of a two-year, $7 million contract ($3.5 million average annual value) he signed with Minnesota on July 8, 2022, and can become an unrestricted free agent after the season. The 39-year-old remains undecided about his future, whether that means retirement or searching for another team to play for next season.

Fleury made four saves in the final 1:07 of the game, including stopping Evgeni Malkin’s one-timer from the right face-off circle with 41 seconds left, to preserve the lead. Pittsburgh played the final 1:50 at 6-on-4 after Brodin took a high-sticking penalty with Alex Nedeljkovic pulled for the extra attacker.

“It’s just big challenge, right?” Fleury said. “Because you know they have so many skilled forwards and D, right? Six guys, I don’t know. You know you have to battle. … Maybe some crazy plays, so just battle through it and try to keep it out.”