Mar 27, 2025; Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA; Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin (8) and Minnesota Wild goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury (29) shake hands after the game at Xcel Energy Center. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images. [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/a3858e96-f2ef-474b-8a35-8e42f6c810bd.jpeg] Mar 27, 2025; Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA; Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin (8) and Minnesota Wild goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury (29) shake hands after the game at Xcel Energy Center. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images. A Kaprizov and Eriksson Ek update. ST. PAUL - Marc-Andre Fleury did not start in the Minnesota Wild's game against the Washington Capitals on Thursday but that did not stop Alex Ovechkin and the Capitals from paying respect to Marc-Andre Fleury after. “We wanted to do that. ‘O’ had mentioned that this morning that it was going to be the last time going up against Marc-Andre. Just paying the respects he deserves and the impressive career," Capitals head coach Spencer Carbery said. "He’s done so much. They’ve had so many battles. He’s had so many battles with the Caps, with ‘O.’ So pretty classy to be able to send him off and just say how impressive a career he had.” After the game was over the Capitals exited the bench to the locker room after their 4-2 loss to the Wild. Ovechkin realized that and quickly gathered his team from the tunnel and had them meet Fleury at center ice. “Yeah, that’s amazing. That relationship is a little bit of a hate love but it’s one of those where you just tip your cap to the other guy and the battles that you saw in Pittsburgh and Capitals," Marcus Foligno said after the game. "I got to watch it before I came into this league, and it was special. That was a really good sign of respect by those guys. I think that was more from the battles they had with Flower over those years.” It was truly an incredible gesture by Ovechkin to knowledge it and have his teammates and the rest of the Capitals staff come pay their respects to Fleury in a handshake line after the game. "One heckuva career. He was definitely one of my favorite goalies growing up, the way he competed, the way he battled, just his personality," Capitals goaltender Charlie Lindgren said of Fleury. "So, I never had the chance to talk to him and just, heck of a career. Loved watching him play." Former teammate Dylan Strome: "Yeah (Ovi) talked a little bit about it before the game. He thought it as a classy gesture. Fleury’s played a lot of games in this league and obviously had some really good series with the Caps, and they played I don’t even know how many games against each other – I think I saw 47 today, not including playoffs. It’s one of those things where you gotta respect greatness and Fleury’s been great his whole career. I got the chance to play with him in Chicago and everyone knows he’s one of the best people of all time in the game, so the little respect we can show him at the end of the game I think goes a long way and is well deserved for him." Filip Gustavsson stoped 28-of-30 that he faced in the Wild's 4-2 win and had some nice things to say about his partner after the game. "Yeah, every team we go to, you see the signs, everyone loves him, and everyone loves playing against him, because he’s very talkative and … have a smile on your face, and I think no one really would say anything bad about him or everyone probably sees how he’s a really good human being, and very respected. It's great to see him get the handshake like that."
