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Penguins GM Explains Reasons for Marc-Andre Fleury Farewell Plan

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Antonio Losada | Last updated Sep 18, 2025 1:15 PM ET

Marc-Andre Fleury will take the ice one last time in a Pittsburgh Penguins sweater, closing out his decorated career with a farewell appearance at PPG Paints Arena later this month.

General manager Kyle Dubas appeared on Daily Faceoff's "The Sheet with Jeff Marek" and explained that the unusual arrangement, a professional tryout deal for a player who is already retired, grew out of discussions following Fleury’s showing at the 2025 World Championships.

“We had Marc-Andre at the [2025 World Championships],” Dubas said. “To see how much he’d meant to the fans, because of who he is as a person. … Obviously, the success he had in Pittsburgh, he holds every goaltending record, three Stanley Cups."

“[We were] trying to figure out the best way for the fans to say goodbye one last time. There’s always the one-day contract thing, but seeing how much fun he had playing at the World Championships and how well he played ... as well as conversations with Marc-Andre and [Fleury's agent] Allan Walsh, it just struck me as a good idea for the fan base and for Flower, and we talked about it throughout the summer.”

Dubas on : "Just seeing the amount of love the fans have for Marc-Andre Fleury and the enthusiasm he has for the city of Pittsburgh... I thought it would be a great idea to have this full circle moment and allow the fans to properly salute him in a Penguins uniform."
— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) September 18, 2025

The 40-year-old goaltender confirmed the move is purely symbolic; he has no plans to resume his career.

“I wanted to go back where it all began,” Fleury said. “I see it as a wink to my past. I’ll wear the Penguins jersey one last time, and I’ll see some old teammates and friends again. It’s a way to come full circle. I’m still retired.”

Dubas, speaking again about it Thursday, could only gush over having the Penguins legend back for one final game clad in the franchise's sweater.

“Just seeing the amount of love the fans have for Marc-Andre Fleury and the enthusiasm he has for the city of Pittsburgh,” Dubas said, “I thought it would be a great idea to have this full circle moment and allow the fans to properly salute him in a Penguins uniform.”

Fleury will practice with the Penguins on Sept. 26 and start the following night in a preseason game against the Columbus Blue Jackets.

It will be Fleury's first appearance for Pittsburgh since he left in the 2017 expansion draft on his way to join the Vegas Golden Knights, and the final game of a career that includes 575 wins, three Stanley Cups with the Penguins and a Vezina Trophy.

Dubas stressed that the gesture reflects the organization’s commitment to those who shaped its history and left the door open to bring Fleury to the fold in a front-office or coaching role.

“It’s vitally important to me that our organization is treating those people who’ve given so much to the organization as well as possible,” Dubas said. “When it comes to Marc-Andre Fleury, he’ll always have a place here if he wants it, no doubt.”

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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