'This is it': Why Fleury decided to play one more year, why Minnesota?

Marc-Andre Fleury tells us his decision to continue to play and why it will be in Minnesota.

ST. PAUL - On the eve of the last Wild game of the season, Marc-Andre Fleury stood at the podium following the announcement of his one year contract extension and said “I didn’t want to go anywhere else honestly."

He continued: "I think first and foremost my kids they were in school in Vegas, they went to Chicago and then we came here and I’m going to retire and move again to another school. I didn’t want to move them again somewhere else."

But why Minnesota? The Wild just missed the playoffs for the first time since 2019 and the second time since 2012. 

"I think for me I love the guys here. I love to compete with guys here. Obviously very disappointed for the season to miss playoffs. But I believe the group of guys that we have, staying healthy all season, better start maybe, not try to chase other teams at the end of the year so much, just have a better start," Fleury said. "I think staying healthy, we got a bunch of young guys too on the team now that have shown what they can do and I’m confident we can come back to playoffs here.”

Fleury, 39, hasn't missed the playoffs in the last 17 seasons. He has spent majority of his time in the playoffs with the Pittsburgh Penguins but he made it every year with the Vegas Golden Knights and two years with the Wild. 

The veteran goaltender said at the start of the year in training camp that he wasn't thinking about whether this would be his final season or if he'd play another year. He was entering the final year of his contract but wanted to focus on the season. 

“I was honestly. Yeah, I was. Like I said, a lot of thinking throughout the season. Ultimately, though, I think I still love the game, still have a lot of passion for the game," Fleury said. "As painful as that last game in Vegas was, I was mad for a few days, break a couple sticks, but the emotions you get, like I always say, I hate losing but still to feel, to feel those things, the tough losses, the wins obviously. We had some nice ones, too. The feeling of winning, the feeling of competing with the best in the world, that’s something I want to do one more time.”

In an impressive season, Fleury played in his 1,000th NHL game and even passed Patrick Roy for second all-time in wins amongst NHL goaltenders. Despite that Fleury claimed he didn't play too well.

“I wouldn’t say I played so well this year. It was some up and down. I think it went with the team, too. Obviously when the team plays well, it makes us look better. Yeah, I think that was one thing," Fleury said. "I was so unsure sometimes what to do. I think that was a good indication it wasn’t time. I wasn’t ready to just call it quits. I think that was something I took in mind. My wife told me if you stop now, it ain’t coming back, right? That’s it. Make sure you’re done with it.”

The pedigree and person Fleury is was something that Bill Guerin, the Wild's President of Hockey Operations and General Manager, just couldn't pass up on bringing back. The way Fleury conducts himself is something that any team can benefit from. It's more than just the play. 

"Look, he’s played so well this year for us I think. It’s too soon for him to retire. That’s my personal view," Guerin said. "Coming from experience, you don’t want to leave anything on the table. Because when you walk away, when you walk out the door, they don’t let you back in. It’s very tough. So, play as long as you can. I’m really happy that he’s decided to play again.”

Having Fleury back can help mentor Jesper Wallstedt, who projects to be the team's goaltender of the future. But it's more than just Wallstedt it's any young player or any player in particular. 

Being able to sit in the same locker room as Fleury, a future no doubt Hall of Fame goaltender and see how he prepares and conducts himself. It will do wonders, making the decision to re-sign him pretty easy. 

“A hundred percent," Guerin said on if it's good Fleury can mentor Wallstedt. "Even, still, with Gus. And I know he’s a goalie, but his presence, the way he approaches the game, all that stuff. The way he keeps himself in great shape, his competitiveness, all that stuff, it helps everybody. 

"I don’t care if you’re a right wing, center, D, you look across the room at a guy that’s gonna be a Hall of Famer, and this is the way he conducts himself. He trains the right way, he eats the right way, he treats people the right way. That’s what a real hall of fame player and human being looks like, and that’s a good role model for everybody.”

Fleury is excited to be back on the Wild next season and is hoping they can make the playoffs in what will be the last time in his long and tremendous career and who knows maybe Fleury can be like one of the three players Guerin referenced to have walked off in the sunset after retiring. 

"It never ends the way you want it to," Guerin said on retiring. "There were very few guys, you know, like Ray Bourque or Mark Recchi or Dave Andreychuk. They win the cup and then retire. There are very few of those instances. It's usually really hard and not the way you imagine kind of walking off into the sunset. You just stop playing."

Despite breaking some goaltending records this season, Fleury doesn't have anything on his mind to break next season. He would like to just make the playoffs and help his team win. 

“Maybe games played, can get a little higher. But my only goal is to help the team try to make playoffs," Fleury said. "I think I don’t need any personal things. It’s just team game, try and be part of it, part of the team and be on the winning side here.”

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