It is hard for anyone to reminisce on 20 years worth of memories in a few minutes time.
And for the Pittsburgh Penguins’ Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Kris Letang, it is even more difficult to put a number on the good times with a dear friend.
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Minnesota Wild goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury, who was drafted by Pittsburgh first overall in 2003 and won three Stanley Cups alongside Crosby, Malkin, and Letang, is back in town for what is presumed to be his final game in Pittsburgh.
Crosby is aware of how special this moment will be for his longtime friend, and he looks back fondly on the time he spent with Fleury while he was in Pittsburgh.
“A great friend and someone that I shared a lot of great times (with) and been through a lot of adversity, too,” he said. “Basically, growing up together in the league and trying to find our way, he means a lot to me, means a lot to the organization, and, I’m sure, the fans. He’s been an incredible teammate and an incredible player for a long time.”
After the Penguins won their second of back-to-back Stanley Cup championships in 2017, the team had a goaltending conundrum. With young netminder Matt Murray helping lead Pittsburgh to two Cups in two years’ time, Fleury was, unfortunately, a casualty of the expansion draft for the Vegas Golden Knights and was their first pick that summer.
Since then, Fleury has made several stops in Pittsburgh, a few as a member of the Golden Knights, two in his brief stint with the Chicago Blackhawks, and a couple with the Minnesota Wild.
Fleury’s most recent start against the Penguins came last season in Minnesota, in which he surrendered two goals on 36 shots and secured the win. He will get the starting nod on Tuesday night for the Wild, which is something that he is eagerly anticipating.
“I don’t want anything different in that game, I don’t expect much else,” Fleury said. “I feel like since I’m growing older, I get a little softer than I used to with emotions… So I think maybe a deep breath, look around, take a good look around. Good memories. I was very fortunate to play here for so long. A lot of good souvenirs from this place. So, it will be nice to do it one more time.”
Something else that many assumed Fleury would be doing “one more time” is pulling a fast one on some of his closest friends in Pittsburgh.
When asked if Crosby, Malkin, and Letang should be on high alert over the next few days for one of his signature pranks, Fleury smiled.
“I don’t know if I was lazy today, I didn’t do anything bad to them. But sometimes, that’s good, it keeps them in their head, they’re looking for what’s next, you know?”
Fleury said that his favorite prank in Pittsburgh was a page he took from former Penguins teammate Ryan Malone, when he took all of the furniture out of the hotel room of then-rookie teammates Ben Lovejoy and Mark Letestu. Crosby and Letang named some of their favorites as well:
Letang: “I know there’s a lot, like when he put the stuff in the rafters, the clothing. I think he did it for Daniel Sprong, he did it for (Justin) Schultz, Rusty. I think Sprong got it a little bit harder. I think he soaked all his clothes in water before.”
Crosby: “I think the packing peanuts in our strength coach’s car was pretty good. Seeing him stand on the roof of a car and pile those things into the sunroof will forever be ingrained into my mind.”
Something Crosby and Letang agreed on is that they’d be afraid of the “retaliation” if they and Geno tried to pull one last get-you-back prank on Fleury before retirement.
“It’s already bad,” Letang said. “I’m not gonna make it worse on myself.”
I asked #LetsGoPens Sidney Crosby if he, Geno, and Tanger were plotting a final prank to get Marc-Andre Fleury back just once after all these years:
“No. I don’t think so. I’d be afraid of the retaliation.”
— Kelsey Surmacz (@kelsey_surmacz4) October 28, 2024
Just from these stories alone, it’s not hard to tell why Fleury was – and still is – such a beloved teammate and friend to many of those he has crossed paths with over the years. Again, it’s difficult to quantify all of it in a few short minutes, but all of the memories shared with his old teammates have built the foundation of friendships that will last a lifetime.
And, as Letang said, it goes beyond what happens on the ice and comes down to who Fleury is as a person.
“I mean, what’s not to love?” Letang said. “That’s the question, honestly. Just his personality, there’s not a mean bone in his body. He comes to the rink with a big smile on his face. He plays the game with a big smile. He’s a great teammate, obviously. So, it’s hard not to love a guy like that.”
If it is, indeed, Fleury’s final game in Pittsburgh, his former teammates think he will enjoy his well-earned retirement. While they have no idea exactly what he’ll do, they know he will be spending a lot of time with his family.
“He can barely sit still for five minutes,” Crosby said. “I don’t know what he’s got planned, but I know with the kids’ stuff, he’s pretty busy. So, I’m sure that he’ll be doing a lot of driving and getting to his kids’ stuff.”
And, for Fleury, his family is what this night will be all about. After all, his daughters were born in Pittsburgh, but they have never gotten the chance to truly experience what his time in the city meant to him.
“They’ll be with my wife, and it’ll be good that she can show them (the city) a bit and then bring them to the game, see what it’s all about playing here,” Fleury said. “I think, maybe, they can see how good the fans have been to me over the years and stuff. So, it will be cool to share it with them.”
Related: Penguins To Honor Legendary Goaltender In Final Pittsburgh Stop Of His Career
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