Blackhawks trade Marc-Andre Fleury to Wild

The Wild are pushing in all their chips in a quest for a Cup with a trade for Marc-Andre Fleury. Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports

Blackhawks trade reigning Vezina Trophy winner Marc-Andre Fleury to Wild

By Chelena Goldman | Last updated 3/21/22

The NHL was abuzz on Monday morning as trades between teams happened at a lightning-fast pace ahead of the 3:00 p.m. ET deadline. But perhaps the one that caught the most attention was when the Chicago Blackhawks traded veteran goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury to the Minnesota Wild.

BREAKING: Hearing #Blackhawks are trading Marc-Andre Fleury to #mnwild. Sounds like conditional 2nd round pick that can become a 1st for CHI.@DailyFaceoff
— Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) March 21, 2022

The 37-year-old Quebecian was traded to the Blackhawks last offseason by the Vegas Golden Knights. He is in the final year of a three-year contract.

Marc-André Fleury is on the final year of a 3 x $7M contract.

He has posted a .908 save percentage in 45 games played this season.https://t.co/ZhW7JyFBq2
— CapFriendly (@CapFriendly) March 21, 2022

Fleury, a three-time Stanley Cup champion with the Pittsburgh Penguins, resurrected his career when he join the Golden Knights in their first few seasons in the league, leading the team to the Stanley Cup Final in 2017-18.

It has been noted Fleury is having a down season, which could be due to any mix of factors, including his age and the fact the Blackhawks are a struggling squad. However, his track record is surely what makes him an enticing pick for the Wild, who need an upgrade between the pipes if they're going to make a substantial playoff run.

Marc-Andre Fleury hasn't been great this season and there's risk in that being his new normal at this age. But he has a strong recent history of elite play that makes him a worthy gamble – and a substantial upgrade in net for the Wild. pic.twitter.com/waQUItXCFQ
— dom at the athletic (@domluszczyszyn) March 21, 2022

The Wild, who currently sit in fourth place in the Western Conference, coincidentally kick off their post-deadline schedule hosting the Golden Knights, who are in danger of being kicked out of a playoff spot for the first time since being formed.

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