On Nov. 28, former Pittsburgh Penguins netminder Marc-Andre Fleury turned 40, cementing his status as the NHL’s oldest netminder. One day later, he was between the pipes, leading the Minnesota Wild to another victory.
According to the league’s Public Relations, with his 3-2 win over the Chicago Blackhawks on Friday night, Fleury joins Hockey Hall of Famer Martin Brodeur as the only goalies to win NHL games as a teenager and 40-year-old.
Fleury’s first win came as a member of the Penguins, who drafted him first overall in 2003 on Oct. 18, 2003 against the Detroit Red Wings. Twenty years later, on Jan. 15, 2024, he moved into second place on the NHL’s all-time wins list with his 552nd victory.
It’s only fitting that Fleury finds himself in another category alone with Brodeur after Friday’s win, as the two have secured the first (691) and second-most (566) wins in professional hockey history.
Moreover, if Fleury could play 14 more games before retiring, he’d overtake Roberto Luongo (1,044) and be behind Brodeur (1,266) for most games played.
Fleury seems to be making history every night he straps on his pads. Fans across the league should embrace the next five months because the next time we see The Flower, it will be at a jersey retirement ceremony or his Hockey Hall of Fame induction.