Marc-André Fleury
Canadian goaltender with 500 NHL wins and three Stanley Cups.
Marc-André Fleury is a Canadian former professional hockey goaltender who played 22 seasons in the NHL. Drafted first overall by the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2003, he won three Stanley Cup championships with the team and is one of only three goaltenders to reach 500 career victories.
Quick Facts
- Born
- 28 November 1984
- Birthplace
- Sorel-Tracy, Quebec, Canada
- Position
- Goaltender
- Catches
- Left
- Played for
- Pittsburgh Penguins
- Vegas Golden Knights
- Chicago Blackhawks
- Minnesota Wild
- Draft
- 1st overall
- Drafted by
- Pittsburgh Penguins
Facts from the source article.
Playing career
Fleury played junior hockey for the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League from 2000–01. After a strong 2002–03 season that included a silver medal at the World Junior Championships, QMJHL Second Team All-Star honours, the Mike Bossy Trophy as the league's top prospect, and the Telus Cup as top defensive player, he was selected first overall in the 2003 NHL entry draft by the Pittsburgh Penguins. He is only the third goaltender ever chosen first overall, after Michel Plasse and Rick DiPietro.
Fleury made his NHL debut in 2003–04 as the youngest goaltender in the league at 18 years old. His first game was on October 10, 2003, against the Los Angeles Kings, where he made 46 saves including a penalty shot save in a 3–0 loss. He recorded his first win on October 18 with 31 saves in a 4–3 victory over the Detroit Red Wings, and his first shutout on October 30 in a 1–0 win over the Chicago Blackhawks. Fleury earned Rookie of the Month honours in October with a 2–2–2 record, 1.96 goals against average, and .943 save percentage.
His performance declined as the season progressed due to Pittsburgh's poor defence. He was loaned to Canada's junior team for the 2004 World Junior Championships, then sent back to the QMJHL on January 29, 2004; financial difficulties for the franchise and a potential $3 million contract bonus were believed to be factors in that decision. Fleury's jersey number 29 was retired by Cape Breton on January 25, 2008.
International play
Fleury won two silver medals with Canada at the World Junior Championships. In 2003, though Canada lost 3–2 to Russia in the gold medal game, Fleury posted a 1.57 goals against average and was named top goaltender and tournament MVP. The following year, the Pittsburgh Penguins lent him to Canada's junior team despite Fleury's desire to remain with his NHL club; management felt the tournament would aid his development. He led Canada to the gold medal game again, but with the score tied 3–3 and less than five minutes remaining, Fleury left his net to play the puck and his clearing attempt hit his own defenceman, Braydon Coburn, and trickled into the net.
The United States held on for a 4–3 win. Fleury was named to Canada's senior team for the 2010 Winter Olympics on December 30, 2009, but did not play; goaltending duties were split between Martin Brodeur and Roberto Luongo, and Canada defeated the United States 3–2 in the final. After retiring from the NHL at the end of the 2024–25 season, Fleury joined Team Canada for the 2025 World Championship, reuniting with former Penguins teammate Sidney Crosby.
In three group stage games he posted a 2–1 record with a 0.97 goals against average and .944 save percentage while backing up Jordan Binnington; Canada was eliminated by Denmark in the quarterfinals in a major upset.
Personal life
Fleury was born to André and France Fleury in Sorel-Tracy, Quebec, near Montreal, and has one younger sister, Marylène. After being drafted, he briefly lived with Mario Lemieux while searching for permanent housing. He married longtime girlfriend Véronique Larosee in 2012; the couple have two daughters and a son. Larosee is of Abenaki and Mi'kmaq descent.
In November 2023, the NHL forbade Fleury from wearing a custom mask honoring his wife's Native heritage on the Minnesota Wild's American Indian Heritage Night. Despite the threat of fines, he wore the helmet during warm-ups but did not start the game; it was later reported that he or the team would likely not receive a fine. The mask was auctioned by the Minnesota Wild Foundation, raising $66,605 for the American Indian Family Center. Fleury's nickname "Flower" comes from the English translation of his French surname.
His goaltender masks always feature a fleur-de-lis on the backplate and the initials EFGT honoring his four grandparents, and often include a flower on the front. He was known throughout his career as a prankster.
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