The Pittsburgh Penguins are currently facing a four-game road trip without a win and have gone five games without a victory overall. Captain Sidney Crosby talked about working to improve his performance after a difficult start to the season, but that was overshadowed by news of the Penguins’ preparations for a farewell to Marc-Andre Fleury.
Fleury, who was the cornerstone goalie for the Penguins and a key player in their championship core alongside Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Kris Letang, was selected first overall by the team in a draft-day trade in 2003. Now 39 years old, Fleury is in the last year of his outstanding career. He received numerous honors and farewells last year, including a special painting presented to him by the Penguins during a private ceremony in Minnesota. However, he chose to play for one more season.
Unless the Penguins face the Minnesota Wild in the Stanley Cup Final, this will likely be Fleury’s final game in Pittsburgh as a player.
“It’s always strange to come back and be on the other side. While I can’t say I’ve played my best games here, I’m looking forward to it. I’m fortunate to have a couple of days in town to walk around and reconnect with some familiar faces—well, not old faces, as I haven’t seen them in a while … it’s always nice to return,” he said.
Fans remember his emotional return with the Vegas Golden Knights in 2018. Despite facing criticism during his time in Pittsburgh, his three Stanley Cup victories and vibrant personality overshadowed the negatives. As fans cheered his name and a tribute video played, he had to skate away from the net to wipe away tears.
Fleury’s daughters, who were too young to remember his time with the Penguins, are now old enough to understand his legacy. “They’re a bit older now and can grasp things. They were born in Pittsburgh, but we hadn’t come back to show them around. So, this time my wife, Vivica, will take them to the game,” he explained. “They’ll see what playing here is like and how the fans have supported me over the years.”
Reflecting on his career, Fleury shared, “It’s hard to pinpoint one memorable moment. There were so many great and challenging experiences. The reception I received for my first game and training camp was amazing. During tough times, I always felt the crowd’s support, encouraging me to keep pushing forward.”
With 562 wins, Fleury ranks second in NHL history, only behind Martin Brodeur’s 691.
### Penguins Injury Updates
Remember Matt Nieto? He signed a two-year, $1.8 million contract on July 1, 2023, but has been sidelined since early November due to a knee injury after just 22 games. After multiple surgeries, he was cleared for contact and participated fully in Monday’s practice. “It’s huge. I’ve only been skating for about six or seven weeks; before that, it was all rehab. It felt long and boring, but I’m excited to be back with the team and progress to the next step,” Nieto remarked.
It has been nearly a year since Nieto officially joined the team on the ice. He was close to returning last January but experienced a setback.
Additionally, the Penguins signed Blake Lizotte to a two-year, $1.8 million deal on July 1, 2024. He performed well in training camp but was struck by an errant puck in the preseason, resulting in a concussion. Lizotte returned to practice on Monday, though still in a non-contact jersey.
Bryan Rust was absent from practice and is currently undergoing evaluation for a lower-body injury, as reported previously by Pittsburgh Hockey Now.
