Marc-André Fleury has been among the finest goaltenders within the NHL since he was picked first total by the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2003. One in all solely three goalies in league historical past to ever be chosen that early in any NHL Entry Draft, Fleury is by far essentially the most completed of that group. He continues to make good on that scouting report, too, as he’s achieved a consistency of success that few others have — of any place.
Fleury works his manner into the dialog among the many league’s finest yearly, even whereas others take pleasure in performances that will shine brighter inside a standalone season.
The foremost distinction finally ends up being that his counterparts can’t maintain such heights in the identical manner that Fleury has made his norm. As different names come and go from that record, Fleury’s stays embedded.
It’s much less about what Fleury has finished in any particular person marketing campaign and extra so a mirrored image on all he’s achieved all through his almost 20 years as a professional. His capacity to take care of such an elite stage of play is what units him aside, as among the finest ever. The proof to recommend {that a} spot within the Hockey Corridor of Fame already awaits him is overwhelming.
Fleury Already Among the many Better of All-Time
On the time of this writing, Fleury owns a file of 564-330-97, a goals-against common (GAA) of two.60, and a save share (SV%) of .912. Strong numbers, 21 years into his profession, which might be much more spectacular had it not taken Fleury a few seasons to determine himself. As such, his early NHL numbers overwhelm his total averages.
Necessary to notice, he broke into the league at 19 years outdated. At an age that almost all others are nonetheless working their manner by the minors, Fleury had already reached his vacation spot.
Then, as soon as in his early 20s, Fleury’s play elevated and he hasn’t seemed again since. As illustrated by the usual he’s set throughout his collective stat line, versus debating his greatness based mostly on an remoted part inside it.
What’s extra, Fleury has a greater profession SV% than Corridor of Famers Martin Brodeur, Patrick Roy, and Terry Sawchuk. It may be argued that that is, partially, on account of the truth that fewer targets are being scored per contest all through this period of the sport. But, that doesn’t negate Fleury’s capacity to persistently accomplish, no matter having performed inside quite a few lineups of various proficiencies. Merely acknowledged, he’s been past dependable.
Stats That Lead At the moment’s NHL
Relating to lively NHL netminders, Fleury already leads the pack in various areas, together with, however not restricted to, video games performed (1,029), wins (564), and shutouts (75).
Of the goaltenders in league historical past who’re forward of him with extra shutouts, all are within the Corridor of Fame other than Lorne Chabot.
Whereas taking on the beginning position for the Vegas Golden Knights in 2020-21 might have come as a shock to some, Fleury’s capacity to set the tone early on within the marketing campaign made it clear that it was his web to maintain. Then, it was only a matter of sustaining that momentum, which he proved greater than able to.
Following a dominant 2020-21, his seventeenth season within the NHL, Fleury lastly acquired an extended overdue stage of recognition. He gained his first-ever Vezina Trophy, due to a stat line that included a 26-10-0 file, 1.98 GAA, .928 SV%, and 6 shutouts.
Just like the sample he’s set all through his profession, Fleury didn’t lead the league in any particular person class en path to successful the 2021 Vezina. Nonetheless, he was the one fixed amongst those that sat atop every leaderboard. That, in and of itself, is the right illustration of what makes Fleury such a particular athlete.
His greatness isn’t restricted to at least one space of the sport. Reasonably, it’s showcased throughout each side of it.
Stanley Cup Closing Familiarity
Though Fleury might not personal the identical quantity of {hardware} as another goaltending greats, he has influenced his groups in direction of reaching peaks in ways in which solely a choose few may declare.
Fleury introduced the then-expansion 2017-18 Golden Knights to their first-ever Stanley Cup Closing of their inaugural season. It’s not a simple feat to make a Closing beneath any set of circumstances and Fleury helped make it a actuality for a model new franchise.
Coming into the sequence, there wasn’t any dispute in regards to the respective groups’ defining gamers. On the film posters, their names can be above the title. It was Alexander Ovechkin and his Capitals versus Marc-André Fleury and his Golden Knights.
That mentioned, merely getting there isn’t fairly the identical as successful all of it and even the perfect of any period are thought-about lucky to seize a single Stanley Cup all through their careers. To this point, Fleury has achieved the feat thrice.
Whereas skeptics is perhaps fast to level to the truth that Pittsburgh didn’t name upon Fleury in both the 2016 or 2017 Closing, he was an integral a part of the regular-season success that set these groups up for such sturdy postseason performances. In addition to, there’s no denying the optimistic impression his presence had on Matt Murray throughout these back-to-back runs.
Fleury Solely Is aware of How one can Win
Aside from the odd off night time, which any skilled has to count on each every so often, Fleury has been among the many NHL’s most dependable athletes throughout his tenure within the league. As evidenced by the truth that he’s achieved a successful file by 17 of his 19 seasons.
The truth is, he hasn’t posted a dropping file since 2005-06. No different lively goaltender within the league can say the identical.
Fleury’s departure from the Penguins, when the Golden Knights chosen him within the 2017 NHL Growth Draft, additionally supplied him with the primary true style of what it meant to be the face of a franchise. All the time thought-about amongst Pittsburgh’s stars, he was by no means going to get the identical kind of consideration as Sidney Crosby.
Even with that new accountability positioned upon him in Vegas, at a degree in a single’s profession the place most would have most well-liked familiarity, he rose to the event and simply stored on successful. A lot in order that he helped Vegas set an NHL file for the highest-ever win share by an growth group.
His four-year stint with the Golden Knights culminated in a 117-60-14 file, together with a 2.41 GAA and .917 SV%. For good measure, he additionally earned 23 shutouts in that quick span.
Already ranked second in all-time wins, Brodeur (691), Fleury is an undisputable showcase of each success and longevity.
Has Fleury Accomplished Sufficient to Enter the Corridor?
Fleury has finished sufficient to not solely be thought-about among the many prime goaltenders within the league whereas he’s nonetheless enjoying, however one who can also be worthy of the very best honour in hockey each time he decides to cease. He’s a longtime chief and a confirmed winner.
He owns three Stanley Cup rings, a Vezina, and a Jennings, as he regularly rises by the ranks of each all-time record.
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Whether or not or not Fleury results in the Hockey Corridor of Fame isn’t the correct query to ask at this level in his profession. The dialogue has shifted to how shortly he will get that telephone name, following his resolution to retire from the sport that he’s dominated for the previous 20 years.
