On May 1, 2025, the Minnesota Wild lost Game 6 of their playoff series with the Vegas Golden Knights. Following this loss, everyone expected this to be the last time Marc-Andre Fleury would be on an NHL bench. The former Pittsburgh Penguins draft pick was expected to retire after 21 years and over 1000 games in the league.
Fleury did indeed retire following the 2024-25 campaign. He spent time with Pittsburgh, the Vegas Golden Knights, Chicago Blackhawks, and Minnesota. He is a near-lock for the Hall of Fame, as well. Fleury won three Stanley Cups while also being the second-winningest goaltender in NHL history.
However, fans have not seen the last of him on an NHL bench just yet. The Penguins announced they’ve signed the 40-year-old. This is not a typical one-day contract to retire with a team, though. He signed a professional tryout with the team.
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Fleury spoke about this decision in a recent interview. And he revealed why he made this decision to take the ice with the Penguins.
“I don’t like to say that I’m retiring as a member of the Pittsburgh Penguins,” Fleury said. “I don’t want to disrespect the Minnesota Wild. I played my last game with them, I signed my last contract with them. They did a lot for me,” the future Hall of Famer said, via NHL.com.
“I wanted to go back where it all began. I see it as a wink to my past. I’ll wear the Penguins jersey one last time and I’ll see some old teammates and friends again. It’s a way to come full circle.”
Marc-Andre Fleury’s Status Has Not Changed
Minas Panagiotakis/Getty ImagesMarc-Andre Fleury made his mark with the Pittsburgh Penguins, winning three Stanley Cups with the franchise.
Fleury was a star with the Penguins for a very long time. He spent 13 of his 21 seasons with Pittsburgh. He was the first overall pick in the 2003 NHL Draft. Fleury owns multiple Pittsburgh records, including wins, goals against average, and shutouts. Moroever, he won three Stanley Cups with the franchise.
However, the 40-year-old is not looking to continue his career. He told NHL.com he is retired, and he is not seeking a full-time roster spot.
“I’m still retired,” he said. “I’ll play a period against the Blue Jackets and I’ll practice twice with the Penguins. At my age, that’s more than enough.”
In a way, this is a replacement for a one-day contract. Athletes typically sign one-day contracts to say they retired with a certain team. While Fleury is not claiming he’s retiring with Pittsburgh, this is a different way to achieve the full-circle moment he wanted.
When Fleury Will Take The Ice For The Penguins
The Penguins won’t carry Fleury into the season. And he won’t even be around for much of the preseason. As he stated, he’ll partake in a game as well as a few practices.
It does not appear as if Fleury will participate in Pittsburgh’s preseason opener. They open their preseason slate against the Montreal Canadiens on Monday. After this, they travel to take on the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Fleury will face the Blue Jackets on Wednesday, as he said. It may only be for one period, but fans will certainly have their eyes on this preseason clash when the teams take the ice at Nationwide Arena on Wednesday.
Carter Mazur is the biggest wild card In the Red Wings system
Carter Mazur may be the biggest mystery here because, while I like his chances he ends up with the Detroit Red Wings big club, the question is whether he’ll stick out the NHL for an entire season. Injuries are the biggest concern, and it could lead one to think Mazur’s nothing more than a 13th/14th forward.
But, if he adjusts his game, then middle six minutes are on the docket. And there’s nothing wrong with making those adjustments, so long as they make your performance better. That’ll be Mazur’s challenge in camp, and it may even make or break his 2025-26 campaign following that tumultuous 2024-25 season.
The upside for Mazur is that the Wings aren’t a deep team, and they have either older veterans or stopgaps manning that third line. For Mazur, this means he’s got a chance to find a niche early and contribute. Should that happen, and he proves he can stay healthy, you can add him to the growing list of core players who will have a role in Hockeytown.
Over the past couple of months, I’ve wildly praised Mazur, calling him the team’s “most NHL-ready prospect,” knowing that, if it wasn’t for the injuries, he’d be a shoo-in to this team’s lineup.
Detroit Red Wings could have a gem in Carter Mazur, or another bust
It seems like almost everyone drafted after the first round during the Steve Yzerman era either wears the ‘bust’ or ‘will never make the NHL’ label. Mazur’s got more than just a chance to help derail that trend, and he can do so without playing a fancy, high-octane game.
Even if adjusting his approach is the best way forward, it doesn’t mean he needs to try and be a highlight-reel, 50-plus-point player. Would it be nice? None of us would complain. But nice doesn’t always translate into necessary.
What’s necessary is that the Wings need a player who can grind out 13-14 minutes per game, if that. One who can bring energy, win puck battles, and put the scoring lines in good position to make something happen. None of that will show on the stat sheet, but it would turn Mazur into one of the team’s more impactful players.
It won’t be long until we see what Mazur brings, and if he’s ready to roll in Hockeytown or if another season in Grand Rapids is the way to go. Either way, I’m seeing him playing some NHL games this season.
