Fleury's final return like old times for himself, core
Marc-Andre Fleury joked after Friday's practice that he feels as if he's "said goodbye 17 times already" since leaving Pittsburgh in 2017.
There were some emotional games since then, too. His first game back as a Golden Knight, in which he teared up on the ice after hearing the ovation from the crowd following his tribute video. There was the potential final game against the Penguins in Minnesota in February 2024, one that was preceded by a terrific ceremony honoring both his 1,000th game and record-setting 552nd career win. He had his final regular-season game in Pittsburgh last October, after which he couldn't get through one question in the postgame interview before he started to cry. There was the final game against the Penguins in Minnesota in March. Fleury and Sidney Crosby had what they thought would be their last time together at the World Championship in the spring, when Fleury suited up for Canada.
This one here on Saturday night, though just a single period of preseason action, seemed poised to be the most emotional of all. This was really, finally, the last time. Fleury stood on the blue line during the anthem alongside Crosby, Evgeni Malkin Kris Letang and Bryan Rust for one last time:
PENGUINS
Fleury took the ice to an outrageous ovation in front of a sellout crowd of 18,333 chanting fans, many of whom were wearing Fleury jerseys and carrying Fleury posters. His wife Veronique and three young children -- Estelle, Scarlett and James -- were sitting there in the front row.
And in the most touching moment of the night, after the buzzer sounded for the Penguins' 4-1 win over the Blue Jackets, an effort helped by Fleury's perfect showing on eight shots faced, the "Core Four" had one last post-win celebration together. Crosby, Malkin and Letang made a beeline to congratulate Fleury in his crease, while the rest of their teammates lagged behind to allow them to have their moment.
For Fleury, though, despite this being the latest in a long line of 'goodbyes,' it felt different -- not because this one was really, finally the last one -- but because he was back where he spent 13 years of his career.
It was just old times again.
"Every time I played here with other teams, it always felt like a little bit weird," Fleury said. "But this time, I feel normal. Like it used to, you know?"
Despite the normal setting, and normal familiar faces, it was far from a "normal" game for Fleury.
The crowd was the difference. For the first two periods in which Sergei Murashov was in net, one could feel the anticipation waiting for the third period. For each of Fleury's eight saves -- some routine, some actually difficult saves -- the fans erupted. If Fleury came out of his net to play the puck, the place went crazy. If the videoboard showed him at the bench, sipping water in a TV timeout, the fans went wild. It was the best atmosphere in this building in a long time, "real games" or not.
"It felt like a playoff game," Crosby said. "I've been fortunate to be part of some cool games, but, yeah, that's definitely up there."
It was almost out of a movie. Fleury has long made clear his desire to score an empty-net goal, and has tried to do so countless times in his career. The Blue Jackets did pull Elvis Merzlikins for the extra attacker late, trailing two goals, and the Penguins' players on the ice did concoct a plan before the puck dropped to get it back to Fleury so he could shoot. The puck just didn't bounce his way, and so Rickard Rakell sealed the win.
Fans chanted "ONE MORE YEAR!" on and off throughout the period, and Fleury found it amusing. And while he absolutely looked like someone who could keep playing NHL hockey, especially knowing how little he prepared over the summer to play in this game ... he's done.
"I'm tired, my hip is sore," Fleury laughed. "I'm going to take a little bit of a break."
His next chapter, for now, is going to just be being a dad.
"It'll be good, I'll spend more time with my kids," he said. "Be there for hockey, school plays, Halloween, the little things. I'll be there for them."
Fleury has decades of memories from his time in hockey to take with him into retirement. He reminisced on Saturday about grinding through the "tough years" early in his time in Pittsburgh, and his teammates who came up through those times with him -- Crosby. Malkin Letang. Jordan Staal. Max Talbot. Colby Armstrong, and "so many guys" he couldn't possibly have time to name, along with the countless staff to help along the way.
"That's something that I'll always look back on when I'm done," Fleury said, before catching what he said.
"I'm done," he corrected himself. "I've been done. And I'm proud that we were able to do it, turn it around and win the Cup."
Fleury's best memories were spent here, in this city, with these fans, and with some of these players that are still around. There couldn't have been a more fitting end to Fleury's time in the NHL than to share it with all the people behind those memories.
THE ASYLUM
Fleury's final return like old times for himself, core
Marc-Andre Fleury joked after Friday's practice that he feels as if he's "said goodbye 17 times already" since leaving Pittsburgh in 2017.
There were some emotional games since then, too. His first game back as a Golden Knight, in which he teared up on the ice after hearing the ovation from the crowd following his tribute video. There was the potential final game against the Penguins in Minnesota in February 2024, one that was preceded by a terrific ceremony honoring both his 1,000th game and record-setting 552nd career win. He had his final regular-season game in Pittsburgh last October, after which he couldn't get through one question in the postgame interview before he started to cry. There was the final game against the Penguins in Minnesota in March. Fleury and Sidney Crosby had what they thought would be their last time together at the World Championship in the spring, when Fleury suited up for Canada.
This one here on Saturday night, though just a single period of preseason action, seemed poised to be the most emotional of all. This was really, finally, the last time. Fleury stood on the blue line during the anthem alongside Crosby, Evgeni Malkin Kris Letang and Bryan Rust for one last time:
PENGUINS
Fleury took the ice to an outrageous ovation in front of a sellout crowd of 18,333 chanting fans, many of whom were wearing Fleury jerseys and carrying Fleury posters. His wife Veronique and three young children -- Estelle, Scarlett and James -- were sitting there in the front row.
And in the most touching moment of the night, after the buzzer sounded for the Penguins' 4-1 win over the Blue Jackets, an effort helped by Fleury's perfect showing on eight shots faced, the "Core Four" had one last post-win celebration together. Crosby, Malkin and Letang made a beeline to congratulate Fleury in his crease, while the rest of their teammates lagged behind to allow them to have their moment.
For Fleury, though, despite this being the latest in a long line of 'goodbyes,' it felt different -- not because this one was really, finally the last one -- but because he was back where he spent 13 years of his career.
It was just old times again.
"Every time I played here with other teams, it always felt like a little bit weird," Fleury said. "But this time, I feel normal. Like it used to, you know?"
Despite the normal setting, and normal familiar faces, it was far from a "normal" game for Fleury.
The crowd was the difference. For the first two periods in which Sergei Murashov was in net, one could feel the anticipation waiting for the third period. For each of Fleury's eight saves -- some routine, some actually difficult saves -- the fans erupted. If Fleury came out of his net to play the puck, the place went crazy. If the videoboard showed him at the bench, sipping water in a TV timeout, the fans went wild. It was the best atmosphere in this building in a long time, "real games" or not.
"It felt like a playoff game," Crosby said. "I've been fortunate to be part of some cool games, but, yeah, that's definitely up there."
It was almost out of a movie. Fleury has long made clear his desire to score an empty-net goal, and has tried to do so countless times in his career. The Blue Jackets did pull Elvis Merzlikins for the extra attacker late, trailing two goals, and the Penguins' players on the ice did concoct a plan before the puck dropped to get it back to Fleury so he could shoot. The puck just didn't bounce his way, and so Rickard Rakell sealed the win.
Fans chanted "ONE MORE YEAR!" on and off throughout the period, and Fleury found it amusing. And while he absolutely looked like someone who could keep playing NHL hockey, especially knowing how little he prepared over the summer to play in this game ... he's done.
"I'm tired, my hip is sore," Fleury laughed. "I'm going to take a little bit of a break."
His next chapter, for now, is going to just be being a dad.
"It'll be good, I'll spend more time with my kids," he said. "Be there for hockey, school plays, Halloween, the little things. I'll be there for them."
Fleury has decades of memories from his time in hockey to take with him into retirement. He reminisced on Saturday about grinding through the "tough years" early in his time in Pittsburgh, and his teammates who came up through those times with him -- Crosby. Malkin Letang. Jordan Staal. Max Talbot. Colby Armstrong, and "so many guys" he couldn't possibly have time to name, along with the countless staff to help along the way.
"That's something that I'll always look back on when I'm done," Fleury said, before catching what he said.
"I'm done," he corrected himself. "I've been done. And I'm proud that we were able to do it, turn it around and win the Cup."
Fleury's best memories were spent here, in this city, with these fans, and with some of these players that are still around. There couldn't have been a more fitting end to Fleury's time in the NHL than to share it with all the people behind those memories.
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