Fleury will play next season for Wild then decide NHL future

ST. PAUL, Minn. --Marc-Andre Fleury will return for his 20th NHL season in 2023-24, but the Minnesota Wild goalie said he's unsure if it will be his last.

The 38-year-old has one season remaining on a two-year contract he signed with the Wild on July 7, 2022, and can become an unrestricted free agent at the end of next season. The Wild acquired Fleury in a trade with the Chicago Blackhawks on March 21, 2022.

"I have … (thought about retiring)," Fleury said Monday. "Especially the last, I had to move a few times, move to Vegas, then Chicago, here. I don't want to keep moving the kids around and stuff right? Also, I don't' know. Getting older, it's tough.

"Obviously, I'll think about it after next season, right? But that could be it."

Fleury was 24-16-4 with a 2.85 goals-against average and .908 save percentage in 46 games (45 starts) this season and 0-1 with a 5.48 GAA and .811 save percentage in two Stanley Cup Playoff games (one start). The Wild lost in six games to the Dallas Stars in the Western Conference First Round after finishing third in the Central Division in the regular season.

Fleury is third in NHL history with 544 wins for the Pittsburgh Penguins, Vegas Golden Knights, Blackhawks and Wild. He is seven behind Patrick Roy (551) for second place. Martin Brodeur is the all-time wins leader with 691.

"When I got the two-year contract, it was something I had in mind." Fleury said. "Obviously, I'm not there yet so I don't want to talk too fast, but Patrick was definitely one of my idols, a guy I grew up watching and cheer on. I loved watching, tried to play like him. I don't know, it's very, just to be so close to him now is a little surreal. Very surreal I would say."

Fleury is also 15 games shy of 1,000 in the NHL. The only goalies to play more games in the NHL are Brodeur (1,266), Roberto Luongo (1,044) and Roy (1,029).

Matt Dumba reiterated his desire to remain with the Wild. The 28-year-old defenseman can be an unrestricted free agent this summer. Dumba had 14 points (four goals, 10 assists) in 79 regular-season games and two assists in six playoff games this season.

"My heart is definitely here in 'Minny,'" Dumba said. "I want to win. I want to win here. But I really don't know what lies ahead. I haven't really given it too much thought. We'll just see how the chips fall. Just kind of have to play it by ear.

"I mean there's always a way. Crazy things happen in sports all the time. I'm definitely not ruling anything out. We just have to take it one day at a time and see how this all pans out."

Dumba was selected by the Wild in the first round (No. 7) of the 2012 NHL Draft and has played 598 games with them.

Joel Eriksson Ek revealed that he sustained a broken fibula after blocking a shot by Penguins forward Evgeni Malkin on April 6. He progressed to skating and returned for Game 3 against the Stars but played one shift for 19 seconds. The forward had surgery after Game 3.

"It was hard. But it's part of what hockey is," Eriksson Ek said. "I think you guys saw, I was skating for I don't know how many days before, I felt good. And then just first shift, yeah, it didn't hold up."

Eriksson Ek said he will be ready by training camp.