Marc-André Fleury started the match in front of a few parents and old friends who came to cheer him on. When he left the rink, it looked like he had made 19,000 new friends.
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” It is special. I thought the world hated me in Montreal. Every year, I get yelled at or booed, ”said Fleury, smiling from ear to ear.
The Sorelois likes to laugh about the situation. But he admits that he never had it easy against the team he cherished during his childhood.
“It’s never my best games here. It always seems like I’m having a rough night. I do not know why. “
You never know what the future holds. Perhaps his other visits to Montreal will also be one to forget. At least, the memory of this victory of December 9, 2021, the 500e of his career, will supplant all the others.
Getting 500 wins is quite an achievement considering that only two other goalkeepers have made it in history. It is even more so for a kid for whom the NHL has always seemed unattainable.
“I dreamed about it, but I didn’t think I would achieve it. I grew up admiring Brodeur and Roy, but I never thought I’d get this far, ”said the 37-year-old, grateful to have been able to be part of good teams from a young age.
Not worthy of Roy and Brodeur
Now that this plateau has been reached, the next mark to be passed could well be Patrick Roy’s 551 victories. However, Fleury maintains that is not a goal he has in mind. As if he didn’t feel worthy of being in the same class as him.
“The 551 wins are less important. Brodeur and Roy were my idols. For me, they are the best, ”he said.
If Fleury is not up to the two members of the Hall of Fame, this is not the case with his teammates.
Jonathan Toews did not fail to praise his goalkeeper at the end of this match.
“They are not many to have reached 500 victories. It’s hard to believe when you see the list. He had a very special career, said the Blackhawks captain. It was great to be a part of that game with him. “
Fleury may have only been a member of the Blackhawks for a few months, he is an important cog in this formation.
“From the start, we were happy to know he was coming to Chicago. When we heard the rumors that he might not come, we panicked a bit. “
Further proof that Toews has his new partner in high esteem, he did not hesitate to support his candidacy for the Canadian Olympic team.
“He should be at the Olympics,” he said without hesitation.