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Marc-Andre Fleury

Minnesota Wild Activate Marc-Andre Fleury

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The Minnesota Wild have their starting goaltender back. Marc-Andre Fleury has been activated from injured reserve, meaning Zane McIntyre is on his way back to the minor leagues.

Fleury, 37, ended up missing three games with an upper-body injury but the Wild actually did rather well in his absence. After giving up five goals and losing the first game without him, Filip Gustavsson came back with two strong performances, allowing just two goals on 50 shots to secure a pair of victories.

McIntyre didn’t appear in a game, and Fleury is now ready to jump right back in the net for the second half of the team’s current seven-game homestand.

The question some Wild fans will have is whether Gustavsson has earned enough to split the starts with Fleury for the rest of the season. The young goaltender has been good when called upon, posting a .914 save percentage through eight appearances. Fleury, meanwhile, has a .906, though that number is heavily influenced by some early-season struggles.

In his last five games before going down to injury, Fleury had posted a .943, allowing just eight goals on 141 shots.

Marc-Andre Fleury Out With Upper-Body Injury

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4:30 pm: The Wild have recalled McIntyre, while moving Fleury to injured reserve. Hunter Jones has been recalled to the AHL’s Iowa Wild in a corresponding move.

12:10 pm: The Minnesota Wild will be recalling a goaltender from the minor leagues, as Marc-Andre Fleury has sustained an upper-body injury. Michael Russo of The Athletic reports that the veteran netminder is undergoing an evaluation today and the team does not yet have a timeline for his return.

Fleury, who will turn 38 in less than two weeks, has started 12 of Minnesota’s 16 games this season and has a .906 save percentage. Filip Gustavsson, the team’s backup, actually has some better numbers but has lost four of the five games he has appeared in.

The likely candidate to take over the starting role is Gustavsson, but there is at least some intrigue over who will come up to join him. The team has Zane McIntyre as a veteran minor league option, but he hasn’t appeared in the NHL since the 2016-17 season.

There is also Jesper Wallstedt, the 20th overall pick in 2021 and a top goaltending prospect. Wallstedt only turned 20 years old a few days ago and has four games of experience in North America, but did start on a regular basis in the SHL the last two seasons. In 22 appearances for Lulea HF last year, he posted a .917 save percentage with a goals-against average of just 1.98. The young netminder also won Best Goaltender at the World Juniors, and took Lulea to the SHL Finals.

While it may not be his time yet, Wallstedt is the team’s future in net and there will be cries for his recall if the team loses Fleury for a substantial amount of time, or Gustavsson struggles in his place.

Snapshots: Three Stars, Krejci, Stevenson

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The NHL released its Three Stars for last week, with Connor McDavid taking the top spot. The Edmonton Oilers superstar had eight points which, incredibly, all came on goals that either tied the game or gave his team the lead. McDavid seems poised to win the Art Ross once again as the league’s top scorer, and the Rocket Richard is now well within his reach after such an outstanding start.

Second and third went to Jesper Bratt and Marc-Andre Fleury respectively, after their own strong performances. Bratt continues to be one of the most underrated offensive players in the league and now has 15 points in nine games this season. Fleury, meanwhile, rebounded from an iffy start and had a .927 in three appearances last week. His numbers aren’t very inspiring, but Fleury has gone 4-1-1 to start the year.

  • Boston Bruins forward David Krejci will miss at least the next few days with an upper-body injury. He now appears on the Bruins injured reserve list, meaning he’ll miss seven days since his last game. Still, head coach Jim Montgomery said that his veteran center will be traveling with the club and shouldn’t be out too long.
  • The Washington Capitals have assigned Clay Stevenson to the ECHL’s South Carolina Stingrays, suggesting he has recovered enough to start getting back into game action. The 23-year-old was a free agent signing out of Dartmouth and underwent hand surgery at the beginning of October. Given a timeline of four to six weeks from then, his recovery seems to be right on track.

Snapshots: Kane, Talbot, Kase

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As the league begins to decompress from a busy NHL Draft with some blockbuster news, the Chicago Blackhawks are sure to be in the forefront of many discussions after being one of the most active teams on the market this week. One question that remains to be answered is how their Hall of Fame talent feels about the club’s direction. The Fourth Period’s David Pagnotta confirms today that the team will reach out to winger Patrick Kane “in the very near future” to have a conversation about his future with the team.

Both Kane and Jonathan Toews each have just one year remaining on their matching contracts, both carrying a cap hit of $10.5MM. They also both have full say in what the future holds for them in the form of full no-movement clauses. If one or both do end up wanting a trade out of Chicago in order to make another championship run, it makes sense that the Blackhawks would want to know now. The highest value for them will likely be this offseason, as the risk of declining performance could lower their trade value by next year’s deadline.

  • There’s some good old-fashioned drama in the State of Hockey. Many believed the Minnesota Wild had reinforced their goaltending situation by re-signing Marc-Andre Fleury to a two-year contract yesterday, but as quotes from general manager Bill Guerin and Cam Talbot’s agent George Bazos reveal, Talbot may not be entirely happy with the team’s choice to keep Fleury around. Bazos gave a cryptic quote after meeting with Guerin during the third round of today’s draft, saying that Guerin “had a lot to think about.” Guerin countered later, reminding media that Talbot is still under contract, and said that “George can say whatever the hell he wants.” If the relationship turns sour quickly between Talbot and the Wild, it could leave them in an interesting position next season in the crease.
  • The deadline for issuing qualifying offers to restricted free agents is July 11, and the Toronto Maple Leafs haven’t made a decision on whether or not to qualify winger Ondrej Kase. Kase is eligible for arbitration, and after producing 27 points in 50 games, the award might be too rich for Toronto’s blood if Kase elects for it. Not issuing a qualifying offer to Kase wouldn’t prevent him from returning to Toronto, but it would make him an unrestricted free agent, and could sign anywhere in the league.

Minnesota Wild Re-Sign Marc-Andre Fleury

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Just as the draft is set to begin, the Minnesota Wild have finalized a deal with Marc-Andre Fleury. Fleury will return to Minnesota on a two-year, $3.5MM AAV deal, per a team announcement. The deal carries a full no-movement clause and has an even $3.5MM salary for each year that it runs, which means the normal rules covering 35+ contracts will not apply to this deal.

Fleury was sent to Minnesota in a mid-season trade and found success there, going 9-2-0 with a .910 save percentage. Like the rest of the Wild, Fleury struggled in the playoffs, eventually ceding the starter’s crease to Cam Talbot. The Talbot and Fleury tandem is set to return, and GM Bill Guerin told The Athletic’s Michael Russo that they believe their tandem is “one of the strongest” in the NHL.

Fleury’s deal also takes a big name off of the UFA goalie market, a group he was set to headline that also includes Darcy Kuemper, Jack Campbell, and Ville Husso. Now back in Minnesota, Fleury will likely split starts with Talbot as the team chases its first Stanley Cup in franchise history.

For the Wild, getting Fleury at a $3.5MM AAV is a good bit of business. With starting-caliber goalies often costing $5MM-6MM on the open market, having Fleury at a number under $4MM should help the Wild navigate the treacherous cap waters they plunged themselves into with the Zach Parise and Ryan Suter buyouts.

Evening Notes: Sharks GM, Fleury, Paliafito

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When Doug Wilson stepped away from his post as GM of the San Jose Sharks nearly three months ago, many assumed the organization would take its time in finding a new GM, but may not have expected the process to take three months. One reason the team may be waiting would be to find a candidate similar to Wilson, one who the organization was able to rely on for nearly 20 years, icing a competitive team almost every season of his tenure. Another would be their trust in interim GM Joe Will, an experienced executive who could guide the front office as it prepares for the upcoming offseason.

But, the decision may not have to wait much longer, writes The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun. According to LeBrun, an announcement on the new GM is expected to come as soon as tomorrow, and the belief is that the Sharks will name Mike Grier as the club’s next General Manager, though LeBrun adds that this has not been confirmed by anyone in the Sharks organization. Grier was among the many people thought to be interviewing for the coveted position and like Wilson is also a former Sharks player. After hanging up his skates, Grier has been rising up the ranks behind the scenes, with a GM position seemingly a fit at some point.

  • LeBrun also wrote earlier on the weekend’s offseason rumblings, including the status of star goaltender and soon to be free agent Marc-Andre Fleury. The veteran and his wife were to meet with agent Allan Walsh today in Montreal to discuss the plan with regards to his upcoming free agency, with Fleury’s current team, the Minnesota Wild, in the mix. In addition to the Wild, LeBrun speculates that the Toronto Maple Leafs could be suitors for Fleury, pointing to the goaltender’s willingness to head to Toronto at the trade deadline this year before the supposed trade fell apart. LeBrun adds that Fleury will be able to be as picky as he wishes, and could look at a number of contenders, listing the Colorado Avalanche as an intriguing possibility as well, though he adds Colorado would like to keep incumbent goaltender Darcy Kuemper.
  • Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports that scout Jim Paliafito, formerly of the Toronto Maple Leafs, was hired by the New York Islanders. Paliafito, Friedman writes, is known for his expertise with the European free agent market. One of the most notable free agents Paliafito helped the Maple Leafs recruit was undrafted forward Ilya Mikheyev, who scored 21 goals in just 53 games for Toronto this season.

Offseason Notes: Kadri, Flyers, Fleury

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Earlier today, Stanley Cup champion and pending UFA Nazem Kadri joined hosts Nick Kypreos and Justin Bourne on the “Real Kyper and Bourne” podcast on Sportsnet, where he was asked about his upcoming free agency and his desire to stay with the Colorado Avalanche. When asked if Colorado was his number one choice, Kadri responded, “How could it not be? The Kroenke’s have been great supporters of mine and made it clear to me that they’d like me to stay also, but we understand that there’s a business aspect involved. We’re going to try to work together.” As Adrian Dater of Colorado Hockey Now points out, having the Kroenke’s, Avalanche ownership, express the desire to have Kadri stay is a good sign that it could happen, but that doesn’t mean it will be cheap.

Kadri is coming off of a career-year where he scored 87 points in 71 games, adding an additional 15 points in 16 playoff games en route to a Stanley Cup championship. Colorado projects to have just under $25.7MM in salary cap space this offseason, however the team does have pending UFAs in Andre Burakovsky, Valeri Nichushkin, Josh Manson, and Darcy Kuemper, amongst others, to contend with, on top of a large raise to Nathan MacKinnon next offseason. Though it of course won’t be cheap, Kadri showing this level of interest in remaining with Colorado could give the organization some leverage to work out a contract that is not only fair to Kadri, but would play into their needs as well. This wouldn’t necessarily have to be a hometown discount, but could be a small concession in salary or term, perhaps even in exchange for more of the other, depending on what makes the most sense for both sides.

  • Speaking to the media today, including Philly Hockey Now’s Sam Carchidi, Flyers GM Chuck Fletcher said that it was more likely the team would move down in the draft than move up. Fletcher added that he had been discussing the pick with other teams to gauge its value and would only move it for a player that could help the team win now and in the future. Assistant GM Brent Flahr, who also runs the team’s draft board, added that the team could simply move down in the draft depending on what happens, if they believe they can get the player they want later on. Philadelphia is in an interesting position with its pick, the fifth overall selection being a rather valuable pick that almost always fetches a highly-regarded prospect, but this year’s draft appears to have a fairly uniform top-three players in Shane Wright, Juraj Slafkovsky, and Logan Cooley, with the pool opening up a bit after.
  • The Minnesota Wild kicked off the offseason blockbusters with a trade of Kevin Fiala earlier today, but that didn’t stop GM Bill Guerin from receiving questions on another of the offseason’s prime targets: goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury. As The Athletic’s Michael Russo reports, when asked about Fleury, Guerin told the media that he doesn’t have an answer yet on the goaltender, but does hope to re-sign him. Re-signing Fleury will be a challenge for the Wild due in part to the cap issues that necessitated the trade of Fiala, but also given Fleury’s preferences. When reflecting on his future after being traded from the Vegas Golden Knights to the Chicago Blackhawks last summer, then as a trade chip at this year’s trade deadline, Fleury made it clear if he was going to continue to play, he wanted to be in a competitive situation. Today’s events don’t necessarily mean that the Wild aren’t going to compete next year, but it does appear to be a step in the opposite direction of what Fleury is looking for, and at a time when every other team as well as retirement could compete for him.

Wild Notes: Goaltending, Johansson, Free Agency

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The Minnesota Wild look set to begin an offseason where major decisions will have to be made. One of the biggest question marks for this Wild offseason has been their goaltending situation, with much discussion devoted to the feasibility of a Cam Talbot–Marc-Andre Fleury tandem for next season. But yesterday, Fleury spoke on that possibility, stating that a return to Minnesota would be “very appealing,” and it seems that Wild GM Bill Guerin agrees with that sentiment. He was very straightforward when addressing the goaltending, saying that they “want both back,” and that the team “likes both goalies.”

While the Wild’s precarious salary cap situation thanks to the Zach Parise and Ryan Suter buyouts will likely be the determining factor in whether or not a reunion actually comes to fruition, it’s clear that all parties involved are interested in getting it done. Playoffs aside, both Fleury and Talbot were great this season, combining for a 41-14-4 record, leading the Wild to one of their most impressive regular seasons in franchise history. It remains to be seen if a Fleury-Talbot tandem can be sustainable for an entire playoff run, of course, but it seems given today’s comments that they will likely get another chance to prove it can work.

Now, for some other notes regarding the Wild:

  • The Wild have a decision to make regarding defenseman Filip Johansson, the team’s first-round pick from the 2018 draft. The team can either sign Johansson to an entry-level contract before July 1st or see their exclusive rights to sign him expire. Johansson, 22, has been getting regular minutes for SHL club Frolunda HC for the past two seasons, and just five months ago signed a two-year extension to stay there. What makes this choice interesting is the fact that the Wild stand to gain a second-round pick, 56th overall, as compensation should they choose not to sign him. Michael Russo of The Athletic reports that “they’re not” signing Johansson, meaning the team has chosen the pick over the prospect.
  • As previously mentioned, the cost of the Suter and Parise buyouts will cast a shadow on everything the Wild plan on doing this summer. Naturally, the team’s approach to free agency would also be altered, and today Guerin shed some light on his strategy regarding this summer’s open market. Guerin said: “Honestly, we’re pretty set. I don’t know how active we’ll be in the free-agent market.” So, with Kevin Fiala a potential cap casualty, it seems Wild fans should not expect Guerin to target any major free agents when the market opens.

Snapshots: Stone, Fleury, Beaulieu

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Today has been a big day for news surrounding the Vegas Golden Knights, with coach Pete DeBoer being relieved of his duties this morning. That run of news now continues thanks to GM Kelly McCrimmon’s press conference today, where he revealed that captain Mark Stone, who battled injuries all year, would “most likely” be undergoing back surgery this offseason. McCrimmon did note that they expect Stone to be ready for training camp this fall, but this is nonetheless unwelcome news for a team looking to rebound from the most disappointing season in the history of their young franchise.

Stone, who just turned 30, struggled to stay healthy this season and only managed to get into 37 games. Stone’s back injury bothered him all season, leading to his placement on long-term injured reserve in early February. Stone did eventually return from LTIR in order to help the Golden Knights in their ultimately unsuccessful playoff push, but it now seems likely that his late-season activation from LTIR was more about trying to keep the team’s playoff hopes alive than it was about Stone’s back being fully recovered. If the cap-strapped Golden Knights have any hope of returning to contention next season, getting their captain back to 100% health should be a top priority, and it seems that they have elected a back surgery as the best way for Stone to get there.

Now for some other bits of news from across the NHL:

  • The goaltending situation of the Minnesota Wild has been a major storyline surrounding the team ever since they acquired the legendary Marc-Andre Fleury at the deadline. It was a move that would end up costing the incumbent number-one goaltender, Cam Talbot, his chance to be the team’s unquestioned starter come playoff time, and  There has been much speculation devoted to whether or not the Wild could manage to return that tandem for next season. Today Fleury spoke to the media and clarified his thoughts on the matter. Fleury said, per Michael Russo of The Athletic, that a return to the Wild would be “very appealing,” but that he will test free agency to at the very least see what his options are. Fleury went 9-2 in his 11 regular-season appearances with the Wild, and although he eventually ceded the crease to Talbot by the end of the Wild’s first-round loss to the St. Louis Blues, it’s clear that he was a good fit in Minnesota. Whether or not he continues that arrangement will be a storyline to watch going forward, as his comments do indicate clear interest in a return.
  • While this will give no solace to Pittsburgh Penguins fans still reeling from the team’s season-ending overtime loss to the New York Rangers, their team failing to advance in the playoffs does have one (very small) benefit. As CapFriendly notes, because of the Penguins’ elimination, they will retain the 2022 seventh-round pick they surrendered to the Winnipeg Jets as part of their trade for defenseman Nathan Beaulieu at the deadline. Beaulieu was acquired with the intention of being a reserve defenseman for the playoffs, and although he did end up activated from LTIR during the playoffs he did not skate in any games. For the Jets, this outcome is likely their favored one as had the Rangers lost to the Penguins, the Jets would lose their chance at landing a first-rounder as part of the Andrew Copp trade.

Snapshots: Wild, Babcock, Trouba

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Questions are sure to arise this offseason in the State of Hockey. The Minnesota Wild, although they forced the series to six games, were dealt with pretty handily in the final days of their season by the St. Louis Blues, capped off by a 5-1 rout in Game 6.

Now, with the full effect of the controversial Zach Parise/Ryan Suter buyouts kicking in next season, many wonder how the Wild will be able to manage their cap space moving forward. NBC Sports’ James O’Brien looks at a few routes the Wild could go down to manage their salary cap situation next season. The buyouts take up a combined $12.74MM next season, and although the team’s cap situation is fuzzy due to the amount of playoff Black Aces still on the active roster, they’ll surely have less than $10MM to work with this offseason. That includes signing Kevin Fiala, who’s a restricted free agent with arbitration rights (again), to a new deal, and finding a goalie to replace (or to-resign) Marc-Andre Fleury. While Fiala could be dealt, especially after an underwhelming playoff performance, they could also look to clear out some depth names. O’Brien names Dmitry Kulikov, who carries a $2.25MM cap hit next season, as another trade piece, although he does have an eight-team no-trade list (somehow).

  • While there hasn’t been any official link, and there likely won’t be knowing the tight-lipped Lou Lamoriello, The Athletic’s Kevin Kurz names former NHL bench boss Mike Babcock as a potential fit for the New York Islanders’ coaching vacancy. Kurz references Lamoriello’s history with Babcock in Toronto, and Lamoriello’s history of opting for tougher, more aggressive voices in the room as a solution to unsatisfactory team performance. Since then, he’s served as a senior adviser at the University of Vermont and the head coach of the University of Saskatchewan.
  • After Jacob Trouba’s controversial hit that gave Sidney Crosby a reported concussion, The Athletic’s Eric Duhatscheck looked at whether the NHL could examine a potential rule change to penalize similar hits in the future. Duhatschek notes that penalizing all hits to the head is extremely unlikely, as evidenced by current NHL leadership’s hesitation against cracking down on body contact. While illegal head contact exists in the NHL, by its definition, the league viewed Trouba’s hit as legal.

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