Marc-André Fleury was packing his bags Monday afternoon in his hotel room in Pittsburgh when he returned the call from Newspaper. It was game day for the Wild against the Penguins.
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Normally, Fleury would have followed his routine and waited until the next day to answer questions. If he took his nap, as is always the case before a game, he didn’t have the usual butterflies that come within a few hours of jumping on the ice.
He knew he wouldn’t play his former team in his possible final visit to Pittsburgh. John Hynes had chosen to offer him the start for the next day against the Bruins in Boston in a series of two games in two evenings.
“I didn’t talk too much to John, I talked more to Fred [Chabot], our goalie coach, said Fleury. I don’t want to create a big story with this. I would have liked to play, but I respect the decision. Pittsburgh is a special place to me. However, I understand that Gustavsson has been playing very well lately and that we are winning our matches. He’s won his last three starts.”
Filip Gustavsson and the Wild ultimately failed to win against the Penguins. Sidney Crosby scored the game-winner in a 4-3 win.
Fewer departures
On November 27, Bill Guerin showed Dean Evason the exit door to replace him with Hynes behind the Wild bench. Since this change, Fleury finds himself in the shoes of the second goalkeeper. With the start against the Bruins, he played three of his team’s last ten games.
A role that he accepts.
“Currently, we do not appear in the portrait of the series,” he recalled. Gus [Gustavsson] plays good hockey and the team wins. The team remains larger. I will continue to work hard in our practices and when I get a start, I will want to help my team win. That’s all.”
“I get along very well with him. Filip is a bon vivant, a good person. There is no bickering between the two of us.”
Now aged 39, the goalkeeper from Sorel is not very happy with his start to the season. He has a 5-5-2 record, a 3.26 GAA and an .892 save percentage.
“It’s okay, but I would like to win more often,” he replied. When you play more often, you find your rhythm more quickly. You have the feeling that the game is happening more in slow motion. You read the action better. There’s just one goalie in the net. And it’s always like that. I’m part of the team and I want us to win. Gus plays well and I encourage him. I’m not looking for an excuse. It’s up to me to block pucks when I get a start. I have to adapt to my role.”
Roy’s 551 victories and 1000 matches
In terms of personal statistics, Fleury still has a strong chance of overtaking Patrick Roy (551 victories) for second place in NHL history and becoming the fourth goalie to 1,000 games.
Photo Martin Chevalier
After the visit to Boston where he scored a 4-3 victory in overtime, he was at 549 victories and 997 games.
“I’m a guy who takes it day by day in life. My wife would say it too, I’m not a very good planner. The media tells me more about it than I can think of. But I won’t lie. I would like to achieve both things [devancer Roy et 1000 matchs].”
Sad for Evason
Regarding the sweep behind the Wild bench, Fleury spoke of a feeling of guilt.
“It’s always sad when a coach loses his job. You always feel guilty. There is also an assistant who lost his job [Bob Woods]. They were two guys who were in the same boat with us. They wanted to win, they work hard for our team. But that’s part of hockey. Since the arrival of Hynes, I have noticed positive changes and the team is starting to win again.