Marc-André Fleury had a specific plan on the eve of his first game at the Bell Center in the Chicago Blackhawks uniform. He promised himself a supper with his mother, France, and his sister, Marylène.
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Fleury made this little secret on her way to Chicago’s O’Hare airport, before flying to Montreal.
“My mother won’t be coming to the game,” Fleury told the Newspaper. She doesn’t like it in Montreal. She gets nervous and she finds some people mean. It is a mother’s heart. But my sister will be there and I will also have a dozen childhood friends, friends from Sorel. “
With Brodeur and Roy
For Fleury, it won’t just be his debut with the Hawks against CH. This meeting could have a much more important symbolism. On the plane to Montreal, Derek King, the new coach, and Jimmy Waite, the goalie coach, confirmed to him that he would have the start.
With 499 wins to his credit, the 37-year-old goalkeeper could follow in the footsteps of Martin Brodeur (691) and Patrick Roy (551) by becoming the third goalkeeper in history to reach the 500-win plateau. This will be his second attempt to obtain this important figure. Tuesday in Chicago, Fleury and the Hawks lost 6-2 to the New York Rangers.
“I don’t want to sell the skin of the bear before I kill it,” Fleury replied calmly. But I would really like to get there in Montreal. I had the 500 winning number in mind for quite some time. I knew it was an achievable goal. ”
“I’m not sure how to explain it. I find it difficult to realize that I am very close to this stage in my career. I am blessed to have been able to play hockey for so long, to have played for good teams and good teammates. There are several people who have helped me during my career. When you play this long, there are always ups and downs. It is not always a perfect path. I am grateful for the help I received. “
In the past, Quebec was a breeding ground for goalies for the NHL. At the top in history, we find precisely four goalkeepers from Quebec in Brodeur, Roy, Fleury and Roberto Luongo (489). Fleury is now the last masked man of this golden generation.
” Yes it’s cool. Patrick and Martin were my idols growing up, he recalled. I loved watching them play, I loved watching their style and I learned from them. It’s really special to see my name next to them for the number of wins. “
Against Hasek
Before dreaming of a 500th victory, there were many stages. A first victory, a first shutout, a first conquest of the Stanley Cup, a first change of team, a first Vézina trophy and another change of team.
First in the 2003 draft, Fleury made his NHL debut at the age of 18 with the Pittsburgh Penguins.
“I don’t have a good memory to retrace specific matches, but I remember my first win and my first white, he said. I got my first win in my second game. It was against Detroit and Dominik Hasek. For my first shutout, it was against the Blackhawks in Chicago. “
“In my first victory, I was playing against a very big team. I found it intimidating to see all the big names in the Wings. I was making a stop and I was telling myself in my head that I had just blocked
Datsyuk or Yzerman. I found it fun. And in my team, there were Mario Lemieux and Marc Bergevin! It has been a long time. “
On October 18, 2003, at Mellon Arena, Fleury blocked 31 shots in a 4-3 win for the Penguins in overtime. Rico Fata had scored two goals in addition to getting an assist for the winners.
On the Wings side, there were several future Hall of Fame members: Hasek, Yzerman, Nicklas Lindström, Chris Chelios, Brett Hull and Brendan Shanahan. Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg, who also participated in this match, will also follow one day at the Temple.
And in a few years, there will be Fleury who will accompany them among the immortals of hockey.