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Was Marc-Andre Fleury Better In Vegas Or Pittsburgh?

By Jacob Walters |
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - JUNE 22: Flowers are projected on the ice as Marc-Andre Fleury #29 of the Vegas Golden Knights is introduced before Game Five of the Stanley Cup Semifinals during the 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Montreal Canadiens at T-Mobile Arena on June 22, 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Canadiens defeated the Golden Knights 4-1. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - JUNE 22: Flowers are projected on the ice as Marc-Andre Fleury #29 of the Vegas Golden Knights is introduced before Game Five of the Stanley Cup Semifinals during the 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Montreal Canadiens at T-Mobile Arena on June 22, 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Canadiens defeated the Golden Knights 4-1. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
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Marc-Andre Fleury is arguably one of the most beloved NHL players ever. His easygoing demeanor and pure talent make him a positive figure in the hockey sphere. In fact, he’s such a big deal that he’s prominent in more than one hockey city. That’s a tough feat to pull off in itself.

While many people will remember “The Flower” for his time in Pittsburgh, they’ll also remember him for his time in Las Vegas. He had a second career after the Penguins moved on from him.

But where did he have a better career? What place did he truly make his mark? Before you jokingly say Chicago or Minnesota, know that you will be laughed out of the building for proposing this idea. The argument can be made for only Vegas or Pittsburgh.

First, let’s look at how Marc-Andre Fleury was better in Pittsburgh. Steel City was appreciative of his talents, especially when it came to bringing home three Stanley Cups.

But that was because the Penguins had better teams than the Golden Knights ever had during Fleury’s Vegas tenure. Any group with Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Kris Letang has the potential to bring home the Stanley Cup every season.

Still, it’s not to say that “The Flower” didn’t have his high points. He did lead the NHL in shutouts in 2014-2015, posting 10 in a single season. He had 44 total shutouts during his 13-year tenure, making him the franchise leader. The second-best? Tom Barrasso, who only had half the shutouts Fleury had.

Plus, he played in the same conference as Steven Stamkos and Alex Ovechkin during his Penguin tenure. A mere mortal would’ve collapsed at the sight of seeing these two in action. Not Marc-Andre Fleury, who came in with a cool head to save the day.

One can argue Marc-Andre Fleury started to blossom when he arrived in Sin City. He was a Vezina trophy winner in 2021 and was named to the All-Star game in that season. He also won the William Jennings trophy for the fewest goals allowed in a single season for a goalie tandem that year, winning it with Robin Lehner. His Golden Knight tenure was where he took off.

Statistically, you can say the same thing. Take your pick from the various stats:

  • GAA (Goals Against Average): 2.41 compared to 2.58 in Pittsburgh
  • Save Percentage: .917 compared to .912 in Pittsburgh
  • Quality Start Percentage: .602 compared to .537 in Pittsburgh
  • Adjusted GAA: 2.59 compared to 2.95 in Pittsburgh

He even had a career-high save percentage in 2021, saving .928 of his shots, along with a season-best GAA of 1.98 that year. On the surface, these stats prove Fleury was better in Vegas than in Pittsburgh. However, there are a few catches to this.

One caveat is the former Vezina winner spent 13 seasons in the Steel City compared to four in Sin City. That could explain how his numbers are slightly worse in Pittsburgh than in Vegas. These numbers also account for his limited time as a rookie: Fleury did start his NHL career at the age of 19, after all.

Another catch to this argument is Marc-Andre Fleury played in the Western Conference as opposed to the Eastern Conference. Instead of facing stiff competition from Washington, Boston, or the New York Rangers, Fleury faced off against Anaheim, Vancouver, and Arizona. It’s not to say that the Western Conference stunk: you did have Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl there. However, the Western Conference has almost always been the weaker conference in hockey, and this is no exception.

Finally, he only started more than 60 games once in his Golden Knights tenure. Compare that to seven seasons of 60+ starts during his time in Pittsburgh. In fact, his 2021 season was a shortened season, coming from the aftereffects of COVID-19. The former All-Star had more tread as a Penguin compared to his Vegas glory days. That 2021 season was responsible for skewing the stats lower for his time in Vegas.

Still, the statistics and accolades say that Marc-Andre Fleury came into his own as a Golden Knight. If you’re going based on normal seasons and pace, he was better in Pittsburgh. But his historical stats say otherwise.

Surprisingly, a potential Hall of Fame candidate has never won a Vezina or made an All-Star appearance as a Penguin. But don’t be surprised if he gets inducted with remarkable achievements for both teams. After all, few men can do what he’s done in the NHL.

(Stats provided by Hockey Reference)

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