Feb 6, 2018; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Matt Murray (30) and Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury (29) talk at center ice during warm-ups prior to their game at PPG PAINTS Arena. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Penguins Provide Full-Circle Moment for Marc-Andre Fleury

Originally posted on Breakaway on SI | By Jacob Punturi | Last updated Sep 13, 2025 8:15 AM ET

The Pittsburgh Penguins are getting the band back together one last time. The longest-tenured trio in all of North American professional sports will have the fourth member of their Fab Four back for a brief return before the 2025-2026 season begins.

Franchise icon and recently retired goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury signed a professional tryout agreement with the Penguins, reuniting him with Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang. The group led the Pens to three Stanley Cups as teammates between 2007 and 2017, and have remained close friends since Fleury’s departure. Now, almost a full decade later since they last suited up together, this historic veteran quartet can come full-circle and bookend Fleury’s NHL career.

For the future Hockey Hall of Fame goaltender, this is a chance to return to where it all started. Fleury recently spoke with Jean-Francois Chaumont of LNH.com and while the 40-year-old goalie maintained that he is very much retired, he couldn’t pass up the chance to wear the Penguins uniform one final time.

"I wanted to go back where it all began,” he 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.”

Penguins fans fell in love with Marc-Andre Fleury over two decades ago when Pittsburgh made him the first overall pick in the 2003 NHL Draft. He was the first of many high draft picks that rebuilt the Penguins into a three-time Stanley Cup champion in the last 16 NHL campaigns.

This isn’t lost on Fleury, who admitted that he will certainly be emotional going through the motions and suiting up a final time in Pittsburgh. Ever the competitor, he also wants to make sure he plays well for the fans one final time.

“Yeah, I'll probably get emotional," he admitted. "I expect it to happen just going back into the dressing room and seeing my locker again. I'll have the same routine that I had back in the day with the Penguins. I'll still want to play well, though; I don't want to look like a fool out there. But at the same time, the fans know that I'm retired now.”

The plan is for Fleury to practice a few times with the organization during the preseason, with his final goodbye including an appearance in an actual game. When the Penguins take on the Columbus Blue Jackets in one of their preseason contests, Fleury will play a period in net. It will cap off a fantastic career for The Flower, and it will end on an emotional bookend for the beloved NHL goaltender.

This article first appeared on Breakaway on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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