Legendary goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury pulled no punches expressing his disappointment as the Minnesota Wild were eliminated from playoff contention, snapping his incredible 17-year postseason appearance streak.
Speaking to The Athletic after practice on Thursday, Fleury said,
"It's frustrating. But I thought the guys here, we battled together trying to make a push."
Despite Minnesota's strong play since the All-Star break, the white-hot run by Nashville left no room for the Wild to climb up the standings when they needed to most.
Fleury harbors no regrets about sticking with the Wild at the trade deadline, wanting to extend his playoff run with his Minnesota teammates.
"I believed in our chance," he said. "I liked the way the guys were battling down the stretch here."
While appreciative of his playoff fortune, Fleury acknowledged the bizarre feeling of knowing his season will end on April 18th.
"It's weird. Surreal. Disappointing."
Jesper Wallstedt is likely to start in goal for Sunday's game in San Jose, with Filip Gustavsson expected to start the following night in Los Angeles. Marc-Andre Fleury will be taking the net in the season finale against the Kraken.
Marc-Andre Fleury on playing next season
Marc-Andre Fleury remains undecided about his playing future as he approaches his 21st season in the NHL at the age of 39.
However, he has made it clear that if he does decide to continue playing, it will only be with the Wild.
"I'm not moving the kids, playing in a new place, retiring and then moving the kids again," said Fleury (via The Athletic).
Fleury spent this week in Las Vegas, checking on the home he's building there for retirement.
Wild president of hockey operations and general manager Bill Guerin, would undoubtedly be keen to re-sign Fleury if he expresses a desire to continue playing. Coach John Hynes has also expressed his desire to have Fleury back on the team.
When asked about potential contract discussions with his long-time agent, Allan Walsh, Fleury remained coy, simply stating, "We'll talk later."
He attributed his enjoyment of the past season to the fun and supportive atmosphere created by his teammates in the locker room, the welcoming nature of the city, and his children's love for their new home.
Fleury expressed his intention to fully immerse himself in the electric atmosphere of T-Mobile Arena, knowing that this could potentially be his last time gracing the ice as an NHL player. In his characteristic manner, he said with a smile,
“For sure, I’ll take it in a bit. Take a minute. Look around. Keep it here,”
Despite the Wild's disappointing season, which saw them miss the playoffs for only the second time since 2013, Marc-Andre Fleury believes that injuries played a significant role in their struggles, particularly the loss of captain Jared Spurgeon for nearly the entire season.
