Marc-Andre Fleury gives his honest verdict on being benched for possibly his last game in Pittsburgh

In a poignant twist of fate, Marc-Andre Fleury, the iconic goaltender and former Pittsburgh Penguins star, finds himself on the opposing side as the Minnesota Wild face the Penguins at PPG Paints Arena. The 39-year-old Wild goalie, now in his 20th NHL season, shared his candid thoughts on the possibility that this might be his final game in the city where his remarkable journey began.

Fleury, originally drafted by Pittsburgh in 2003, returns with the Wild, but there's a bittersweet note as he won't be starting against his former team. Despite expressing a degree of disappointment, Fleury said:

“A little bit (disappointed). But that’s OK. I get to play tomorrow. The team’s been good. The team has been winning lately. ‘Gus’ has been awesome. So, just have to keep it rolling.”

Marc-Andre Fleury, currently holding a 4-5-2 record this season with a 3.29 goals-against average and .886 save percentage, is on the verge of reaching a significant milestone: His 1,000th NHL game.

Penguins captain Sidney Crosby commended Fleury for surpassing expectations and setting the tone during his formative years with the team:

“He’s been at it for a while. He had a lot of responsibility for a young goalie. Played a lot of games. He’s had an amazing career. Definitely enjoyed playing with him. It’s always a challenge playing against him ... He came in at a young age with a lot of pressure and expectations. He passed by a mile as far as what the expectations were. He set the tone.”

Fleury's journey took a turn when he joined the Vegas Golden Knights in the 2017 NHL Expansion Draft, an emotional moment for fans who had cheered for him throughout his tenure in Pittsburgh. The goaltending legend now faces the possibility that this return could be his last as a player in his 20-year career.

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More on Marc-Andre Fleury's impressive NHL career

Boasting a career record of 548-320-93, Marc-Andre Fleury stands just three wins away from equaling Patrick Roy's second-highest win total in NHL history (551-315-66), with Martin Brodeur holding the top spot (691-397-125).

During his tenure with the Pittsburgh Penguins, Marc-Andre Fleury carved out a remarkable legacy, concluding with a record of 375-216-68. Notably, he secured the highest number of wins in the franchise's history.

Additionally, Fleury maintained an impressive 2.58 goals-against average, establishing the lowest GAA among goaltenders with at least 100 games played for the Penguins.