Some names come into a franchise's life and make them instantly better. They provide stability and greatness at a particular position, keeping the team in every game. Marc-Andre Fleury is that guy, coming in to make the Vegas Golden Knights a premier team. Of course, he also had a great blue line in front of him, where they amplified the forecheck and prevented any shots from coming in.
How did the goaltender's journey start with Vegas? Let's go back to the 2017 NHL Expansion Draft, where Fleury was taken with the 29th overall pick. With the Pittsburgh Penguins moving on with Matt Murray, "Flower" was kicked to the curb. However, he took the Golden Knights to the Stanley Cup Final in their first season.
But there's a specific statistic where he's also dominated. In fact, one can say he set the standard for what Golden Knights netminders should aspire to be. Names like Robin Lehner and Adin Hill haven't lived up to the standard he set. In an age where younger people don't know their respective purposes, Fleury gives hope to the younger generations looking to dominate the NHL. Here's the one category that the revered "Misfit" leads of all time.
Marc-Andre Fleury leads the Vegas Golden Knights in all-time goals against average
Marc-Andre Fleury has had numerous accolades during his Vegas Golden Knights career. That includes winning the Vezina Trophy in 2020-21 and making three All-Star Game appearances with Vegas. He became a mainstay for the team before being traded to the Chicago Blackhawks in 2021... and he found out on Twitter. Still, he dominated one particular category: goals against average.
Fleury is the franchise leader (and only one of two to qualify) with an all-time GAA of 2.41. His best season came in 2020-21, where he posted a GAA of 1.98 in 36 games. Fans might say his Vezina season was shortened because of COVID-19. However, 36 games is some serious mileage to take a sub-2.00 GAA far. Therefore, he deserves to have that trophy in his case.
Coming in second place was Logan Thompson with an all-time GAA of 2.67. His best season came in 2022-23 with an average of 2.65. Of course, the team won the Stanley Cup that season, with Thompson's contributions playing a major role.
Fans will miss both goaltenders after being traded from town. They were key factors in the Golden Knights making the Stanley Cup Final twice, winning a championship in the process. They also hold their respective places in Vegas's record book, setting the standard for being a goaltender (not even Robin Lehner has a spot there). That's all that Golden Knights fans could ask for.