Post-season Send Off: Marc-Andre Fleury

Marc-Andre Fleury has played 18 seasons in the National Hockey League and won three Stanley Cups... but at 37 years old, he sure sounds like a guy who's not ready to hang up his pads and start counting down the days until his induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame.
As an unrestricted free agent in July, the only question now is, where will Fleury play his 19th season, if indeed he does return to the game this fall?
If Wild GM Bill Guerin had his druthers, it'll be right here in Minnesota. And that's not meant as an indictment on incumbent starter Cam Talbot, who has one year remaining on a three-year contract he signed with the Wild two offseasons ago.

"We want them both back," Guerin said. "[Re-signing Fleury] doesn't affect [Talbot's future] at all. It's really not that big of a deal. There's no controversy, there's no drama. We like both goalies, we like both people. We want them both back. And, we think we can be successful with both of them."
And it's easy to see why.
Fleury is just one season removed from winning the Vezina Trophy as the NHL's best goaltender. He's played at a world-class level for nearly two decades now, he's seen everything the league has to offer, and on top of that, he's a Hall-of-Fame person in addition to a Hall-of-Fame talent. Wherever he's been in his career, from Pittsburgh to Vegas to Chicago, Fleury has been one of the most-loved teammates by players and fans alike.
That was no different when he arrived in Minnesota at the Trade Deadline.

"It felt like so quick since we were first meeting here. But I'm glad I came, glad I got the opportunity to play with this team. Such a great locker room, great chemistry between the guys and the staff, coaches," Fleury said. "I'm very happy I came and got to meet all these guys and stuff. And even people around town, when I would go to restaurants and stuff, everybody was very welcoming and nice. They love the game and love their hockey here right, so it was good to live this."
Fleury fit right into the Wild dressing room, bringing an additional sense of legitimacy to a team in the midst of its best regular season in franchise history. He went 9-2-0 in 11 starts after the deadline, posting a 2.74 goals-against average and a .910 save percentage.
He'd start Game 1 against the St. Louis Blues in the playoffs, and would go on to play the first five games of the series, one that didn't go as well as he or the team had planned.

"We feel that we had great hopes when playoffs started. The team had a great, successful season. There was a lot of positives," Fleury said. "St. Louis was a tough matchup and it's disappointing; you battle so hard all season to get those points, and they did too right, but we're playing each other First Round and one has to go. That's the way it is."
When it comes to a potential return to The State of Hockey next season, Fleury left the door wide open for a return.
"Yeah for sure. Like I said, it was such a great time, loved the time and everything," he said. "Made it very appealing to play here."
One thing is for certain, should Fleury re-sign with the Wild -- or wherever he signs for that matter -- he will bring his wife, Véronique, and their three children, Estelle, Scarlett and James, with him wherever he goes.
Fleury acknowledged the toughest part about coming to Minnesota was leaving them behind in Chicago after the trade. The kids were in school there, and with only a few weeks left in the regular season, leaving their lives as normal as possible just made sense.
But it wasn't easy leaving the rink and heading back to an empty hotel room in Edina instead of going home and being with his family. Save for a day trip or two to Chicago to see them, or them coming north for a long weekend, Fleury spent lots of time on his own during the stretch run.
It was the byproduct of being traded midseason, which was one of the few things that hadn't happened to Fleury during his illustrious career.
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"Everything else was so nice and easy here," Fleury said. "They got to come a couple weekends and I went there one day on a day off quickly. Definitely, that's something to me, I don't want to do again. I'm glad I did, it was a good experience and all that. But I'd rather be at home with them."
Fleury said the kids would finish school in Chicago, then they'd pack up and head to their offseason home in Montreal where any decisions on his immediate future will be hashed out.
One thing is for sure at this point in his career, Fleury has one main thing he's looking for when choosing where to settle down next.
"Win some games," Fleury said. "I noticed this season it was hard not being able to win too much, so I think that's a big thing. And then my family, somewhere where they can be safe and enjoy life."
That's another thing that could work in the Wild's favor.
"I think we all know the cap space will be taken up here for the next few years, but I still think there's so many good players on the team here and there's some good young guys that help make it fit under the cap. And they'll be fine," Fleury said. "It's a good team, they play well as a team. Everybody contributes, every line contributes."
Fleury, who turns 38 in November, still looks like a guy capable of playing at an elite level. He sure sounds like a guy who wants to play, but he's also come to the realization that he's much closer to the end than he is to the beginning.
Could that ending come in Minnesota? Only time will tell.
One thing is for sure, Fleury will be a class act all the way. And that's something Guerin and the Wild desperately want back in their dressing room as it continues to build towards something special.
"I think I'm still good but it's not going to last forever," Fleury said with a grin. "Still having fun, so we'll go one year at a time from now on."

Post-season Send Offs:

• Kirill Kaprizov](https://www.nhl.com/wild/news/kaprizov-postseason-player-feature-052322/c-334264660)
• Jared Spurgeon](https://www.nhl.com/wild/news/spurgeon-postseason-player-feature-052022/c-334214040)