In 2003, the Pittsburgh Penguins had the No. 1 overall pick in the NHL draft. With that selection, they were able to reel in one of the best netminders we’ve seen in recent memory. That goaltender, of course, was Marc-Andre Fleury from Sorel, Que.
Fleury has come a long way in the two-plus decades since, with highlights including three Stanley Cups, a late-career Vezina Trophy and William M. Jennings Trophy in 2020-21, and countless saves that left fans shaking their heads in wonderment.
As the soon-to-be 40-year-old Fleury plays out his final season in the NHL, let’s look back at 10 memorable moments from his career.
10. The First Return To Pittsburgh
On Feb. 6, 2018, Fleury made his highly anticipated return to Pittsburgh after going to the Vegas Golden Knights via the off-season expansion draft. It was an emotional return because it was the first time Fleury played in the Penguins’ barn in a different uniform.
At the first TV timeout, a video tribute was shown saying thank you for his 13 years of service with Pittsburgh, and he received a standing ovation from the fans. Fleury was visibly emotional and was even moved to tears as the fans started screaming his name.
9. Devil Of A Save
In a game against the New Jersey Devils on Dec. 27, 2016, Fleury made an unreal save on Adam Henrique late in the third period. Henrique took a shot that deflected off a Penguins defenseman in front of the net, but Fleury, in mid-air, jumped out and batted it away like he was playing baseball.
It was one of the most athletic maneuvers as well as one of the most ridiculous saves in his entire career.
8. Overtime Windmill Save On Kovalchuk
On Jan. 18, 2020, the Golden Knights played the Canadiens in Montreal. With less than a minute remaining in overtime, Ilya Kovalchuk went zone to zone on a breakaway, with Canadiens fans thinking he’d score for sure. But Fleury went old-school and pulled out the windmill for one of his most insane saves, leaving Habs fans in utter shock.
7. Desperation Shootout Stop On Alfredsson
On April 9, 2014, the Penguins and Detroit Red Wings went to a shootout, and the first player Fleury faced was veteran star Daniel Alfredsson. Alfredsson went forehand-backhand, and Fleury responded with a pokecheck attempt. After realizing that Alfredsson had beaten him, Fleury responded with a desperate stop by flopping on his back, which the great Mike Emrick called “an artistic save.”
As the fans in Pittsburgh erupted, Fleury couldn’t help but laugh while Alfredsson simply looked skyward.
6. The Final Return To Pittsburgh
On Oct. 29, 2024, Fleury returned to Pittsburgh for the last time in his NHL career. For the final 20 seconds of the game, Penguins fans chanted his name.
After the final buzzer, he received a standing ovation and was named the first star of the game, with longtime Pittsburgh teammates Sidney Crosby and Kris Letang staying on the ice for one last group hug that Penguins fans will remember for generations to come.
5. Soul-crushing Save On The Leafs’ Petan
On Nov. 19, 2019, with the Golden Knights leading the Toronto Maple Leafs late in the third period, Leafs winger Nic Petan took a backhanded shot on what looked to be an empty net when Fleury dove across the crease, Superman style, and made an incredible glove save.
The stunning stop also helped him secure his 450th career win.
4. 500th NHL Win
With 20 seconds left in a Dec. 9, 2021, game between the Chicago Blackhawks and the Canadiens, the fans in his hometown of Montreal were chanting Fleury’s name as he earned his 500th career NHL win against his childhood team.
3. Guiding The Golden Knights To The Stanley Cup Final In Year 1
When it was made official in the 2017 expansion draft that the Golden Knights would be getting one of the league’s best goaltenders in recent memory to start their franchise, no one thought that he would lead them to the Stanley Cup final in their very first season. But that’s exactly what happened.
The Knights were hot right out of the gates, and Fleury was a big part of it. Even though Vegas didn’t win the Cup – falling to Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals in five games – it was still a huge accomplishment that they made it that far and showed the league that they were ready to be a serious contender for years to come.
2. Passing Roy For Second In All-Time Wins
On Jan. 15, 2024, Fleury passed fellow Quebec native Patrick Roy for second all-time in wins among goaltenders with win No. 552 against the New York Islanders via a 5-0 shutout.
1. Fleury’s Last-Second Stop Saves The Stanley Cup For The Penguins
In the dying seconds of Game 7 of the 2009 Cup final between Detroit and Pittsburgh – with the Penguins clinging to a one-goal lead – the Red Wings won a faceoff in the offensive zone and tried to get a shot on net. The puck didn’t get through, hitting a crowd of players in front, but the rebound ended up at Nicklas Lidstrom’s feet near the left faceoff dot.
The great Wings defenseman got a shot off to the short side, but Fleury leaned over and made the save. The horn then went off, giving the Penguins their first Stanley Cup since 1992.
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