There won’t be another one like Marc-Andre Fleury.
That’s the feeling of Maple Leafs goaltender Matt Murray and winger Ryan Reaves, who have had the pleasure of calling Fleury a teammate in the National Hockey League.
“He is one of the most beloved figures in our sport and has been for a long time, for a lot of reasons,” said Murray, who played with Fleury for the Pittsburgh Penguins for two seasons, winning two Stanley Cups. “He’s a (future) Hall of Famer. He has an awesome personality that everybody falls in love with and keeps things light.
“Playing with him, he’s a great teammate. Playing against him, he’s a great competitor. He’s a great ambassador for the league. You’re probably never going to see a player or a character like him again.”
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The 40-year-old Fleury indicated last off-season that 2024-25 would be his final year in the NHL. When the Minnesota Wild visit the Leafs on Wednesday night, Fleury is expected to back up Filip Gustavsson before starting on Thursday night in Montreal against the Canadiens.
Fleury’s NHL resume is the stuff of legends. Three Cups, 571 wins (second-most in league history behind Martin Brodeur’s 691) and 1,042 games played (third behind Brodeur’s 1,266 and Roberto Luongo’s 1,044) will ensure he goes to the Hockey Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility.
Along the way, Fleury earned a reputation as one of the best pranksters in the game.
“To be honest, I think if he would have got me, it would have gone back and forth,” said Reaves, who played with Fleury in Vegas and Minnesota. “The way he carries himself in the locker room, the way he carries himself on the ice, his attitude contagious, and it kind of trickles throughout the whole team.
“One of the best to ever (play the position), and I’ve seen why.”
X: @koshtorontosun