With Marc-Andre Fleury’s three-year, $21MM contract extension expiring this offseason, many wondered if the 37-year-old netminder would return to NHL ice for 2022-23, especially after his offseason trade to the Chicago Blackhawks and ensuing retirement rumors. The answer to that query appears to be yes, with Fleury saying today he’d “like to play another season” after this one.
Fleury had a rough start to the season in Chicago, putting up one of the league’s worst goaltending performances early on behind a shoddy defense. But as the defense improved under new head coach Derek King, so did he, to the point where he boasted a .908 save percentage and fetched a conditional first-round pick at the Trade Deadline from the Minnesota Wild. He’s kept his solid play going since the trade, posting a .921 save percentage and saving 4.45 goals above average so far in a Wild uniform (according to Natural Stat Trick).
He is an unrestricted free agent this offseason, however, and with Minnesota’s impending severe cap crunch, many contending teams are likely to be in a position to offer him more money. It’s not impossible to rule out the option of Fleury taking a discount to stay in the Twin Cities, though, especially if he helps catapult the team to a deep playoff run.
If Fleury does join a fifth NHL team though, it would be his fourth in just the past three seasons, a high level of movement for the future Hall-of-Famer considering he spent the first 13 years of his career in Pittsburgh. Another season as a starter would give him a fighting chance at 1,000 NHL games, a mark achieved only by three other goalies in NHL history — Martin Brodeur (1,266), Roberto Luongo (1,044), and Patrick Roy (1,029). He currently sits at 935 games played, and with a few more starts down the stretch this season, he’d like need 55-60 games worth of action next year to hit the millennium mark.
One team likely to make a huge pitch for Fleury is the Colorado Avalanche, who were linked to him multiple times throughout the season but ended up pulling out with Darcy Kuemper regaining his form. Kuemper is a pending unrestricted free agent, though, and if the two can’t agree to an extension, expect the Avalanche to once again be connected to ’Flower.’
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
One last ride in Pittsburgh
@TJECK109 – That would be a nice story, to be sure, but if they planned on bringing DeSmith back on a similar contract, he may end up spending much of the time with the Baby Pens. As a UFA after this season, it doesn’t sound appetizing, does it? That *could* leave Domingue as the third wheel, if he is amenable. Pity they have to deal with the jacked-up Buyout hit from the Jack Johnson contract, as they probably could put the ~$800K to better use.
It’s a pipe dream. They won’t have enough to resign Rust, Malkin, Letang and Rakell. Fleury would have to come for vets min knowing it’s his final season
A month ago I thought they could sign all 3, but between Rust upping his price almost every game and Rakell showing he could be a solid replacement at half the price, I think Rust is going to make too much to keep.
If they can keep 71, 58, Rakell and Rodrigues, that’s pretty good.
The problem is if Letang intends to go home and you lose two of the 3.
I think they’ll get either Rust or Letang. One of them is leaving for bigger money, or in Letang’s case the chance to play for his hometown in Montreal.
Malkin probably takes a discount to try and keep the guys together and finish his career as a Penguin. Rakell has really impressed me and I think is a must sign given our top-6 deficiencies at wing.
Rodrigues is the wild card. Is he going to demand to be paid like the player he was in the first half? If so, let him walk. How much is a streaky 15-20 goal scorer worth? He’s scored 18 goals this year (doubling his career high), but 10-12 of those came in a 5 week period.
Well … but think about it. Those 10-12 goals in a five week period are worth exactly as much in the standings as if they’d come right now: you get just as many points for wins in November as you do for wins in April. Obviously he’d be a crap shoot, but in today’s market, you know some numbskull GM is going to offer him $4 million or thereabouts. Just as obviously, with their cap crunch, Pittsburgh isn’t going to be one of those offers.
The Oil Cans like old goalies!