Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports
When you think of recent French-Canadian goaltenders, let alone French-Canadian players in general, Marc-Andre Fleury is a name that immediately comes to mind. The Quebec native has had a Hall of Fame career that saw him win three Stanley Cups as the starting netminder for the Pittsburgh Penguins, as well as a Vezina Trophy during his time with the Vegas Golden Knights.
With Fleury in his final NHL season, who will take the reins as the new French-Canadian elite goaltender? Unfortunately, those reins may not be taken over right away. The Montreal Canadiens’ Sam Montembeault is the closest thing the league has to an elite French-Canadian goaltender, but he’s still fairly new to a starting role and his path to netminding greatness could be tricky behind a heavily rebuilding Canadiens team with a barrel defense bottom.
Only time will tell if Montembeault or another French-Canadian goaltender can fill Fleury’s shoes, but for now it seems like we’re at the end of an era in that regard.
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