ST. PAUL, Minn. — The Minnesota Wild announced a one-year, $2.5 million contract extension on Wednesday Marc-André Fleurymeaning the goalkeeper will spend his 40th season in green and red.
Fleury, who turns 40 on November 28, has had a productive season that saw him pass Patrick Roy for second place behind Martin Brodeur on the all-time NHL list in career goaltending wins. Brodeur (691) still has a 130 lead over Fleury.
The Wild also have goaltender Filip Gustavsson under contract for two more seasons with a salary cap hit of $3.75 million and top prospect Jesper Wallstedt still waiting in the wings.
Fleury is 17-14-5 with an .895 save percentage, the lowest of his 20-year career, and his 2.98 goals against average is his worst in seven seasons. He has two shutouts for the Wild, who were eliminated from playoff contention last week. They host Seattle on Thursday to conclude the regular season.
This will be the first time in 18 years – since he was 21 years old with Pittsburgh – that Fleury doesn’t make the playoffs.
De Wild has acquired Fleury two years ago in a deadline-day trade with Chicago. He is 50-32-9 with a 2.89 goals against average and a .903 save percentage in 96 appearances with 91 starts for Minnesota.
Fleury made headlines this season defying NHL rules by wearing a custom-made mask designed by an indigenous artist. Mdewakanton Dakota artist Cole Redhorse Taylor created the mask for Fleury, who wore it while warming up at the Minnesota Wild’s Native American Heritage Night in November. Fleury says he was honoring his wife, Véronique Larosee Fleury, who is native to Canada.
The mask is now property of the Minnesota Historical Society.
Note: The above video originally aired on November 22, 2023.
