Last week I ran my story of five potential targets for Penguins in goal this offseason if Tristan Jarry isn't re-signed.
It was a mix of trade candidates, restricted and unrestricted free agents.
I intentionally left Marc-Andre Fleury off the list for a number of reasons. He turns 39 years old in the fall. He has a year left on his contract with the Wild that carries a $3.5 million cap hit and includes a full no-movement clause. At this point in his career he seems better suited for a 1A/1B-type of tandem like he had this year in Minnesota, starting 46 games and Filip Gustavsson starting 37. Gustavsson, with a 2.10 goals-against average and a .931 save percentage in 39 appearances had the better results of the two, with Fleury posting a 2.85 goals-against average and a .908 save percentage in 46 appearances. Gustavsson took over the No. 1 job in the playoffs, with Fleury's only games being a start in Game 2 and a relief appearance in Game 6.
Casey DeSmith has a year left on his contract and isn't a goaltender who could likely be half of a 1A/1B situation. If Jarry isn't re-signed, the Penguins need a true No.1 goaltender. That's not Fleury anymore.
Regardless, fans popularly clamor for a Fleury-Penguins reunion, and that's been a popular solution thrown out there as a possible answer to the Penguins' goaltending question.
Fleury shut down any trade talk at the Wild's locker room cleanout day on Monday.
"Yeah, I'm tired of moving, I'm not going anywhere," Fleury told reporters when asked if he'd be OK with a backup role next season with the Wild. "I love the guys here. I love (Gustavsson). Obviously, I love playing too, right? That's why I still play and get out there and have some fun. Winning games, that's the best feeling you can get as a player, as a goalie."
Fleury had no qualms with the decision to hand the starting job over to Gustavsson in these playoffs, either.
"It's fine with me," Fleury said. "(Gustavsson) has been consistent, he's been great all season long. I think the second-best goalie stats in the league, right? It's all good to me. I try to support him and encourage him."
Immediately after the Wild's elimination from the playoffs on Saturday, Fleury told reporters that his plan was to play for one more season, but acknowledged that it could be his last season. His contract with Minnesota is up after next season. Fleury was asked Monday if he still believes that may be the case, and he reiterated that he could retire next summer.
"I had to move a few times," Fleury said. "I had to move to Vegas, then Chicago, then here. I don't want to keep moving the kids around. Also, getting older and stuff. I'll think about it after next season, but that could be it."
If next season is it for Fleury, he's still motivated to go out a champion.
"When you do something you love, it's easy to work hard, to work at it, Fleury said. "It's always been who I was, who I am, trying to stop every puck in practices and games. Having won, the feeling of winning a championship is tough to describe. But you want more. You always want another one. You always chase it every year. You just want to get that Cup in your hands again and celebrate. It's a long way to get there every season, but I always want to chase it for sure."
