The last goaltender taken first overall has retired. The NHL Alumni Association confirmed Marc-André Fleury’s retirement after 21 seasons, following his farewell tour.
Fleury debuted on October 10, 2003, with the Pittsburgh Penguins, losing to the Los Angeles Kings. His first win came soon after, on October 18, against the Detroit Red Wings. In 2009, Fleury’s crucial save in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final against Detroit secured Pittsburgh’s first championship since 1992, despite a loss in the 2008 Final.
By 2016 and 2017, Fleury was a backup to Matt Murray, who led the Penguins to back-to-back titles. Left unprotected in the 2017 expansion draft, Fleury was picked by the Vegas Golden Knights. In his first season with Vegas, he posted a 29-13-4 record, a .927 save percentage, and led the team to the Stanley Cup Final, though they fell short.
Fleury thrived in Vegas until a 2021 trade to the Chicago Blackhawks. After one season, he was traded to the Minnesota Wild. His career ended against Vegas, finishing with a 575-339-97 record in 1,051 games, a .912 save percentage, and a 2.60 goals-against average. He won the Vezina and Jennings Trophies in 2020-21 and ranks second all-time in goaltender wins, surpassing Patrick Roy by 24 but trailing Martin Brodeur by 116.
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