Despite winning both the Vezina and Jennings Trophies and three Stanley Cup Championships, Marc-Andre Fleury is one of the most underrated goalies of all-time. Other than Pittsburgh Penguins fans, not many talk about him or his greatness. Maybe it is due to the other elite goaltenders in the league while Fleury was still playing caused him to get overshadowed.
Despite Incredible Career Stats Marc-Andre Fleury Remains Underrated
Marc-Andre Fleury was selected first overall by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft. He started his NHL career at just 19 years old appearing in 21 games. However, he did not succeed as he had a record of 4-14-2. His second season was also poor, as once again he had a save percentage under .900.
Finally Breaks Out
Despite signs of breaking out, it really wasn’t until his seventh season with the Penguins that Marc-Andre Fleury became the elite goaltender he was supposed to become. That season, Fleury was an All-Star, received votes for both the Hart and Vezina Trophies and had 36 wins. Amazingly as it may seem, that came a full two seasons after he won his first Stanley Cup.
Pittsburgh Legend
With the Pittsburgh Penguins, he won three Stanley Cups (2009, 2016, 2017). In addition to the three Stanley Cups, Fleury also appeared in two All-Star games (2011, 2015). He is probably the all-time best goaltender in Penguins history. In addition to his personal success, he was also an incredible teammate who was loved by all of his teammates. Any time he returns to or plays Pittsburgh, there is always a prank or two instore. Also, spending time with his old teammates.
All pranks aside, he truly was a great teammate. When Fleury won his third Stanley Cup in 2017, he was the backup to Matt Murray. Fleury could have been annoyed and frustrated he was no longer starting and asked for a trade. However, because of the person he is, he helped mentor Murray and developed him into a successful goalie and Stanley Cup winner.
Still Succeeding after Pittsburgh
After Pittsburgh, the Vegas Golden Knights selected Fleury in their Expansion Draft. He was fairly solid with the Golden Knights. He appeared in two All-Star games (2018, 2019). In addition, he took the Golden Knights to the Stanley Cup Final in their inaugural season. All told with the Golden Knights, he compiled a fabulous record of 117-60-14.
Marc-Andre Fleury’s Career Stats, Accomplishments, and Accolades
Fleury has had a laundry list of accomplishments. This includes being fourth all-time in games (1,025), second in wins (561), third in saves (26,586), 12th in shutouts (75), and fourth in minutes (59,276). The fact that he has those accomplishments and is still playing is even crazier to think about. Considering Fleury is 39 and may retire soon, it is time people start to appreciate him more and give him the respect he deserves.
Fleury’s career numbers include a record of 561-330-96 in 1,025 games. He has a career GAA of 2.60 and a .912 SV% and 75 shutouts. While these numbers are impressive, he ranks among the best goaltenders to ever play the game. Just three years go, he celebrated his 500th career win as a goaltender. Moreover, the 2020-2021 season, may be one of his best as he won the Vezina and Jennings Trophies. 2015 was another solid season as he led the league in shutouts with ten, which was also a career high for him.
The NHL All-Star Game is no longer what it once was as it is now 3-on-3 and just a showcase of offensive talent. However, the NHL has also added skills events to truly showcasing players talents and athletic abilities. In 2018, Fleury won inaugural save streak competition, where he stopped 14 consecutive shots from the other All-Stars.
Why Fleury Is Overshadowed and Underrated?
Despite all of Marc-Andre Fleury’s great stats or three Stanley Cups and all of the accomplishments, there were still tons of elite and great goalies in his era he had to compete against. Corey Crawford was a two-time Stanley Cup winner and two-time Jennings Trophy winner with the Chicago Blackhawks. Another goalie who has been dominant for over half a decade is Andrei Vasilevskiy of the Tampa Bay Lightning. Like Crawford, he is also a two-time Stanley Cup winner. Jonathan Quick, who was known for his time with the Los Angeles Kings, is another solid goaltender during that era. Quick won two Stanley Cups, two Jennings trophies, and is a Conn Smythe Trophy winner as well.
Another guy worth noting is Carey Price of the Montreal Canadiens. Price has won the main awards for a goaltender such as the Vezina, Hart, and the Jennings Trophies. Another guy Fleury had to compete for attention was hall-of-famer Henrik Lundqvist. Lundqvist was a two-time All-Star and won the Vezina in the 2011-12 season. However, Fleury’s biggest competition at the position is someone in the conversation for greatest goalie of all-time, Martin Brodeur. Brodeur is a three-time Stanley Cup Winner, five-time Jennings Trophy Winner, and a four-time Vezina Trophy Winner.
Due to all of the elite talent Fleury had to go against, it is understandable why Fleury was not in the Vezina and Jennings Trophies conversation more often. In contrast, the fact that he was able to hang with them and even beat some of them in the post-season, should be worth noting.
Where Marc-Andre Fleury Is Ranked vs Should Be Ranked
His accomplishments speak for themselves. His rankings in NHL goaltending history speak for themselves. He should go down as one of the best goaltenders of all-time and one of the best in his era. Fleury is a first-ballot Hall of Famer and rightfully so.
Granted this was back in 2011, but Bleacher Report released an article mentioning Fleury as the 51st best goaltender of all-time. Fast-forward 13 years and Fleury should easily be a top-ten to top-15 goalie of all-time. A main part of Fleury’s success and what should be recognized is his durability and availability allowing him to have a 20+ year career and counting. Fleury announced he re-signed with the Minnesota Wild and this will be his final season. By the end of 2024-25, Fleury’s 21 year career will definitely not be forgotten, and will be an emotional night when he plays against the Pittsburgh Penguins in Pittsburgh for one final time.
Main photo: Matt Blewett-USA TODAY Sports
