Wild’s Marc-Andre Fleury gets first start of season. Will it be his last in Montreal?

MONTREAL — At just 16 years old, Freddie Gaudreau from Quebec watched as Marc-Andre Fleury won his first Stanley Cup with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2009. When asked about his memories of watching Fleury play as a child, Gaudreau jokingly replied, “Oh, yeah. He’s a legend.”

Now, in Quebec, Fleury is set to make his season debut for the Wild against the Canadiens at the Bell Centre, officially starting his 20th NHL season and 986th start. It could also be his final game in his home province.

Since his NHL debut in 2007, Fleury has amassed 544 victories (and counting), placing him third all-time in career wins for a goaltender, and has won three Stanley Cups. He is just eight wins away from surpassing Patrick Roy for second place and 15 games away from becoming the fourth NHL goalie to play 1,000 games.

Gaudreau, a native of Bromont, Quebec, shared that “he’s a legend in the hockey world, and then you come to Quebec and it’s another step.”

Such is Fleury’s popularity in Quebec that even Canadiens fans chanted his name during his 500th victory, a 2-0 Blackhawks win over the Canadiens on December 9, 2021.

However, despite his legendary status, Fleury prefers not to discuss his accomplishments or the potential end of his career that will inevitably lead him to the Hockey Hall of Fame. During a recent interview, reporters struggled to get Fleury to delve deeper into his thoughts about his time in the NHL.

Nonetheless, Fleury expressed concern not only about the possibility that this game might be his last in Montreal but also about not having started a game since a preseason victory on October 5.

At almost 39 years old, Fleury admitted that he had contemplated retirement during the summer. His two-year, $7 million contract extension with the Wild expires after this season, and it seems that Filip Gustavsson is the team’s future in net after signing a three-year, $11.25 million contract extension in July.

Nevertheless, Fleury, both on and off the ice, remains as energetic and friendly as ever. He serves as a mentor to Gustavsson, despite the fact that Gustavsson was just 5 years old when Fleury began his NHL career. Their relationship is marked by mutual respect and a desire to continually improve.

Having grown up in Sorel, just northeast of Montreal, Fleury has fond memories of cheering for the Canadiens and watching games at the Bell Centre. He acknowledges how quickly time flies and feels fortunate for the opportunity to have played in Montreal numerous times throughout his career.

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