There’s good new for Chicago Blackhawks fans as goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury has informed the franchise that he will play next season despite speculation he might retire instead of report.
After being unceremoniously traded by the Vegas Golden Knights, Fleury wasn’t pleased with the way he was moved and not really informed of a trade to Chicago just prior to NHL free agency. That’s not going to stop him from fulfilling his contractual obligations and playing out the final year of a $7 million contract. Where he plays the season after that is anyone’s guess, but the Blackhawks are happy he’ll report and he’ll be their starter heading into the 2021-22 NHL season.
Fleury is the reigning Vezina Trophy winner. He was instrumental in the strong season the Golden Knights had and their run in the 2021 NHL playoffs before getting eliminated by the Montreal Canadiens. That he was traded was both a bit of a surprise, but not really a shock. The Golden Knights needed to clear up cap room and moving his contract was the easiest way to do so. Chicago acquired Fleury in a trade and gave only prospect Mikael Hakkarainen back. It was a totally lopsided trade, the only worry for the Blackhawks being that Fleury might choose not to report.
He didn’t want to be moved and there was talk right after the deal was done that Fleury found out about the trade on social media and wasn’t informed by the Golden Knights of their decision. Hours after the deal was done, Fleury’s agent Allan Walsh has said the team still hadn’t reached out to the goaltender, something GM Kelly McCrimmon denied in a media avail that same day.
In the end, Fleury has taken some time to think about things and wants to keep playing. He’s too good a player and too good a person to go out in this fashion. And, who knows, depending on how the Blackhawks do, he might quickly be traded again to a contender or back to Pittsburgh, where it is believed he would ultimately like to finish out his career.
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