Vegas Golden Knights legend Marc-Andre Fleury isn't expected to start in net for the Minnesota Wild on Sunday. The former Vezina Trophy winner started for the Wild on Saturday night against the San Jose Sharks, propelling Minnesota to a 3-1 victory. Fleury himself was in vintage form, stopping 36 of 37 shots.
As for the goaltender showing up one last time during his farewell tour, Golden Knights fans won't get the chance to see their beloved "Flower" one last time. Imagine how fans on social media felt after seeing the news of the Wild netminder starting against San Jose.
There's good reason for that, too. The former No. 1 overall pick had a GAA of 2.41 and a save percentage of .917 in four seasons with the Golden Knights. Great things came to "Flower" during that four-year tenure aside from the Vezina Trophy. That included a Stanley Cup Final appearance and two All-Star appearances.
Understanding the impact of Marc-Andre Fleury playing for the Vegas Golden Knights
In the 2017 NHL Expansion Draft, the Golden Knights weren't expected to field a Stanley Cup-contending team. After all, how could a new team even MAKE the playoffs? It seemed as possible as Joe Thornton taking a weed-whacker to his beard.
Regardless of the heavy odds, the Golden Knights selected Marc-Andre Fleury from the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Penguins protected legendary players such as Phil Kessel and Sidney Crosby, keeping their Stanley Cup-winning team from a season ago around. Therefore, Fleury was expendable, leaving George McPhee to pick up the superstar with the 29th pick.
Lo and behold, that pick was instrumental in getting the Golden Knights to the Stanley Cup Final in their first season. The 40-year-old had a GAA of 2.24, a save percentage of .927, and four shutouts in 2017-18. He also made the All-Star Game for his accomplishments, starting a legendary tenure with another team.
Fleury should give Golden Knights fans one last curtain call
While Fleury isn't expected to start on Sunday for the Minnesota Wild, he should give Vegas Golden Knights fans one last curtain call. It'd be a service to the time he spent with the organization, turning it into one of the NHL's best franchise.
After all, that legendary story of an expansion team taking over the league on day one doesn't happen without him. Sure, the Golden Knights might've overplayed him during the 2019-20 season. There was also how he was traded which rubbed many fans the wrong way. Those scars remain from the fallout of being traded to the Chicago Blackhawks before the 2021-22 season.
However, the Golden Knights wouldn't be in the position they are without the legendary goaltender. Names like Jonathan Marchessault, William Karlsson, and Reilly Smith have written the story of the "Misfits" and how they exceeded expectations in their first six seasons. But if you're not starting on Sunday against the Golden Knights, you should get the honor of one last curtain call for the fans. After all, they deserve to see you for your services one last time.