Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports

Marc-Andre Fleury,  39, hasn’t been with the Vegas Golden Knights since the 2020-21 season. But he remains a beloved player for Golden Knights fans.

Fleury seems interested in returning to the Minnesota Wild, but they have prize goalie Wallstedt waiting in the American Hockey League. Do the Wild think he’s ready? Just in case this was Fleury last time playing in Vegas, fans made sure he knew how they felt about him.

In their first season in the NHL, Fleury led the Golden Knights to the Stanley Cup Final where it lost to the Washington Capitals. He boasted a record of 29-13-4 with a 2.29 goals-against average. He had a .927 save percentage in the post-season. He was the face of the team. The happy-go-lucky Fleury has always been a popular teammate and popular with fans in every NHL stop.

This season hasn’t gone particularly well for Fleury. He’s going to miss the NHL playoffs for the first time in his career. The team has had an up-and-down season and his .895 save percentage is the worst of his career. The Minnesota Wild haven’t tipped their hand about what their offseason plans may be. Fleury loves his sport, but he’s also a dedicated family man. Retirement would suit him if it comes to that.

His game last night in Vegas didn’t go the way he would have preferred. He gave up seven Vegas goals on 30 shots. The .767 save percentage for the game is not indicative the way he usually performed in this arena. The Golden Knights defeated Fleury’s Minnesota Wild 7-2. Chandler Stephenson had four assists. His buddy Jonathan Marchessault also scored.

But the crowd cheers for him were as genuine as those he used to receive when he wore a Golden Knights jersey.

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