Fleury expecting 'emotional' game with Wild in final trip to Montreal

Marc-Andre Fleury understands that he's no longer in his prime, but the Minnesota Wild goalie still retains his youthful spirit.

"At 40 years old, I sometimes feel like a guy playing in a beer league," Fleury said during a phone interview with NHL.com/fr. "But I absolutely want to show that, despite my age, I can still beat goalies in their twenties. I'm still as competitive as ever."

On Thursday, Fleury and the Wild will head to Bell Centre to take on the Montreal Canadiens (7 p.m. ET; RDS, TSN2, FDSNNO, FDSNWI). Fleury, who was born in Sorel-Tracy, Quebec, about an hour north of Montreal, is likely going to start in what should be his final game at Bell Centre, barring an unexpected matchup in the Stanley Cup Final.

Fleury, the oldest player in the NHL, would face off against either 28-year-old Sam Montembeault or 23-year-old Jakub Dobes, another chance to defeat a goalie in his twenties. But beyond that, Fleury wishes to make the most of his visit to Montreal, surrounded by his family and friends.

"Yeah, I want to get the start in Montreal. I've already talked to Fred (Chabot), my goalie coach with the Wild. I mentioned to him that the game in Montreal was important for me. We're playing in Toronto (against the Maple Leafs) on Wednesday and then in Montreal on Thursday. With two games in two nights, I know I'll have a good shot of playing against the Canadiens. We should be able to split the starts between myself and Gus (Filip Gustavsson).

"I'm not looking for attention, and I don't want to receive any particular sort of welcome. I like playing games on the road and having the crowd root against me. I know that the Canadiens have been playing some really good hockey for a few weeks now, and that the fans will want to see their guys win. That's normal. I'll just be happy to play another game against the Canadiens, my favorite team growing up."

Despite the partisan crowd, there will still be plenty of Wild jerseys in the stands. Fleury's number 29 likely will be especially visible throughout the arena.

"There will be a lot of people in the stands, even more than last year," Fleury said. "I know there's going to be a bus coming down from Sorel. I'll have several of my family members and friends there. My wife (Véronique) will also be traveling from Minnesota with our three kids. I have to thank my sister (Marylène) for planning things out with everyone back in Sorel.

"I'll be sharing that game with my loved ones. Ever since I was young, my family and friends have always been there for me, in the good moments and the bad. I hope that we'll play a good game and that I'll have a good start. I wouldn't like to get lit up. I'd like for both teams to put on a good show."

Fleury is 12-6-3 with a 2.67 goals-against average, .911 save percentage and two shutouts in 21 games at Bell Centre. In his most recent game in Montreal on Oct. 17, 2023, he made 26 saves for the Wild in a 5-2 win. Named the first star of the game, he saluted the crowd, which continued chanting his name after the final buzzer.

He's hoping to be able to control his emotions on Thursday.

"I'm always a little afraid of getting a bit too emotional," Fleury said. "It seems I'm getting softer in my old age. I've had some special games in Montreal over my last few starts. Last season, the fans thought that they were coming to see me play one last time. I also got my 500th win at Bell Centre (Dec. 9, 2021, with the Chicago Blackhawks). I was really touched and moved by the kindness from the crowd; they showed me a ton of love. I felt that deep inside.

There is now less uncertainty in Fleury's mind. He knows that retirement is looming at the end of the season.

"Yes, I'm more at peace, I'm more comfortable with my decision, compared to last year," he said. "Last season, I was being honest: during my last trip to Montreal, I still didn't know if I wanted to play another season or not. Today, I can say that I'm more decided."

The Wild (29-17-4) are third in the Central Division after not qualifying for the Stanley Cup Playoffs last season. It was the first time Fleury's team did not make the playoffs since 2005-06, his second NHL season with the Pittsburgh Penguins.

"We just passed the mid-season point, but we find ourselves in a really good spot in the standings," he said. "There are good races in the West and in the East. I want to relive the frenzy of the playoffs. There's always a bigger atmosphere and more intensity on the ice. I hope to be able to finish my career by taking part in the playoffs and getting one more chance to fight for the Cup."

When asked if he had one particular objective to accomplish between now and the end of the season, Fleury did not hesitate in his response.

"I'd say a Stanley Cup. That's always the goal. But I really just want to make the most out of this. I'm lucky and blessed to still be playing hockey at my age. I want to have fun right to the very end. I would also like to win as many games as possible."

Despite his age, Fleury is still putting up solid numbers this season. In 17 games (15 starts), he is 10-5-1 with a 2.76 GAA and a .904 save percentage.

"I'm happy with my season, but the thing that's making me happiest is seeing the team play well," he said. "We're winning a lot of our games. I've never been a goalie who looked at his personal stats too much. I've always had the philosophy that the most important stat is wins. I'm not playing as often this season. I want to be a good No. 2 goalie and I'm trying to help Gus as much as I can.

"I feel good in the games, I still have energy and I feel like everything's working like normal. But I sometimes find that warming up takes a little longer than before. I no longer have the same flexibility or the same range of motion. I'd also say that it takes me more time to recover. I feel it more during long trips, when I go to bed around 3 AM. When I was younger, I always had energy. I'm a dad now, I've got three kids at home. That alone can drain your energy."

With three Stanley Cup championships (2009, 2016, and 2017 with the Penguins), a Vezina Trophy (2020-21 with the Vegas Golden Knights), and 571 wins (second all-time in the NHL) in 1,041 career games (third all-time), Fleury has already built an exceptional career. But he doesn't want to stop there.

"There's still one milestone left for me to reach," he said. "I'd like to pass Roberto Luongo (1,044) for second place on the all-time games played list (among goalies, behind Martin Brodeur, 1,266). Technically, I should be able to make it.

"I also still haven't scored a goal, and I still haven't gotten in a fight! The goal would be nice. I broke a finger back in December and I still feel it a little bit, so as far as the fight goes, I'll pass."