Player agent reveals how Marc-Andre Fleury once violated his NHL contract to enjoy "prohibited" adventure sport

Allan Walsh, Marc-Andre Fleury's agent, recently shared a story on the SDPN podcast about Fleury breaching his NHL contract by engaging in a banned adventure sport.

Several years ago, Fleury contacted Walsh about trying skydiving, an activity explicitly prohibited in the NHL's player contracts. Walsh explained the risks, warning that an injury could lead to contract termination and loss of pay.

"So one day in the summer, several years ago, Fleury calls me and he says, "Hey, I'm going to go. I want to try skydiving." And it actually is written into the fine print of the Standard Player Contract in the NHL that skydiving is one of the prohibited activities," Walsh said (9:30 onwards).

He continued:

"So, I gave Flower a whole speech about how you can't go skydiving. You're violating your contract. God forbid, you get injured in any way. Your contract can be terminated. You won't get paid, and all that."

Marc-Andre Fleury initially agreed to avoid skydiving, but days later sent Walsh a photo of himself airborne, clearly having jumped from a plane.

"Then, a couple of days later, Flower sends me a photo. He's airborne. His hair is going straight up in the air. He's out of a plane," Walsh added.

Fleury, who was also present on the podcast, described the experience as exhilarating and something he loved.

"It was so good. So fun. Yes, I've done it, too. I love it. I loved it. I'd say so," he said.

Walsh has served as Marc-Andre Fleury's agent since 2017, when the goalie joined the Vegas Golden Knights via the NHL expansion draft.

Sidney Crosby hails Marc-Andre Fleury for his work ethic

Sidney Crosby and Marc-Andre Fleury have countless memories together, winning three Stanley Cups with the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Fleury retired last spring after playing for the Minnesota Wild, but recently signed a professional tryout contract with Pittsburgh. Commenting on Fleury’s work ethic, Crosby praised the veteran goaltender:

"He always showed up and worked hard, always had a smile on his face, and that hasn't changed from his first day to now. Above and beyond what he's accomplished, that's the most impressive part." Crosby said.

The Penguins released Fleury from the PTO on Sept. 30, closing the book on his legendary career.

Also Read: Fleury puts un-retiring rumors to rest with crystal clear statement after his final Penguins preseason game

About the author

Abhishek is an NHL writer at Sportskeeda with over 2 years of sports reporting experience and a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Delhi. He became a fan of ice hockey after watching NHL fight videos on YouTube, which led to him professionally writing about the sport and his continued interest in all things hockey.

A fan of the Boston Bruins, Abhishek considers their incredible comeback win against the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 2013 playoffs as the most iconic moment in the NHL. His admiration for the six-time Stanley Cup winners also comes from the team’s storied history, distinctive black and gold uniform and their success in the sport. His all-time favorite NHL players are Sidney Crosby and Connor McDavid, for their ability to perform at the highest level consistently.

Abhishek ensures his reporting is fair and balanced by being well-researched in his details, which he expects to be relevant, up-to-date and in line with ethical standards. His specialties are doing detailed match analysis and covering fan reactions.

Abhishek enjoys music, traveling and going on walks with his three German Shepherds in his free time, along with learning about horticulture.

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Edited by Abhishek Dilta