Heartbreaking update for Marc-Andre Fleury on Saturday.
Some truly terrible news for one of the most beloved players in the National Hockey League.
This is the kind of news that just sucks for everyone. Fans, players, coaches and even management are no doubt unhappy about how all of this is currently unfolding.
On Saturday morning, Minnesota Wild insider Michael Russo revealed that Wild head coach John Hynes had made a sudden change of plans, opting to go with goaltender Filip Gustavsson on Saturday against the Vancouver Canucks. According to Russo, the hope had been that Fleury would get the start in this one, but circumstances have dictated that Gustavsson will get the start.
This is heartbreaking news for Fleury and his fans as this may very well have been the final time anyone would have seen Fleury playing in a National Hockey League game, barring Fleury making any appearances for the Wild during the Stanley Cup playoffs. What makes this even more difficult is the fact that this scenario could have been avoided but, with the Wild losing to the Calgary Flames on Friday, the Wild now find themselves in a desperate fight for their playoff lives.
You can't blame head coach John Hynes for making this move either with the team's season on the line, especially since Gustavsson has clearly been the better goaltender for the Wild this season. Gustavsson has recorded a 2.58 goals against average and a .914 save percentage over 56 games this season while Fleury has a 2.94 goals against average and a .898 save percentage over 25 games this season.
The wild insider has indicated that there are likely no more NHL starts for Fleury from this point on and, if this is indeed the way that Marc-Andre Fleury's career has to come to an end, it will be a tragic ending to the career of a man that has become beloved by fans around the entire hockey world.
