An emotional Marc-Andre Fleury sounds off on NHL future

It appears that goalie Marc-Andre Fleury has made the important decision that the 2024-25 season will be his last in the National Hockey League.

During the end of the regular calendar, the Minnesota Wild’s netminder had admitted how he was not ready to hang up the pads, and voiced his desire to return for one more season. In mid-April, he signed a one-year contract extension worth $2.5 million after completing his second full season with the Wild after the Chicago Blackhawks sent him there at the 2022 trade deadline. When he signed the deal, Flower had posted on social media a video announcing that the 2024-25 season will be his last in the league.

“I’m not doing this again,” Fleury told reporters after practice. “No, this is it.”

His mind has not changed as the Quebecois goaltender spoke with the Journal de Montreal when he attended the 15th edition of the Classique de golf Beauchemin-Fleury-Beauvillier-Aubé-Kubel back home.

“I am more certain than last year,” he said in a French interview, here translated. “It’s going to be the last.”

“I’m going to try to enjoy my last year, have fun, win games,” Fleury added. I think the games to be play will be interesting. I could end up second [on the NHL’s all-time list in saves]. But it’s not a big deal. It’s not something I absolutely need to achieve.”

This past season, Fleury passed Patrick Roy for second place behind Martin Brodeur on the NHL’s all-time list in career goaltending wins. Brodeur (691) is still 130 ahead of Fleury. He also ranks first all-time among netminders in shootout wins (65), third in saves (26,563) and fourth in games played and minutes played (59,220:38). He is the league’s active leader in these categories.

Fleury has a 2.98 goals-against average and .895 save percentage over 39 games with the Wild this season. He also played for the Hawks, the Vegas Golden Knights (four seasons) and Pittsburgh Penguins (13 seasons).

Minnesota missed the playoffs this year, and we can only wish that for his last season in the NHL, Fleury will get a shot next spring.