Marc-Andre Fleury Retires: Career Stats, Cups & Crosby

Few NHL goaltenders have left a mark quite like Marc-Andre Fleury. With a career spanning 20 seasons, three Stanley Cups, and a friendship with Sidney Crosby that became the stuff of hockey legend, his retirement marks the end of an era. This article traces the key moments of his career, the relationships that defined it, and what comes next for the man they call Flower.

Stanley Cups won: 3 (2009, 2016, 2017) ·
NHL wins: 575 (3rd all-time) ·
Shutouts: 76 ·
Vezina Trophy: 1 (2020-21) ·
Teams played for: Pittsburgh Penguins, Vegas Golden Knights, Chicago Blackhawks, Minnesota Wild ·
Draft position: 1st overall, 2003

Eight career-defining facts about Marc-Andre Fleury, from his draft day to his final save:

Is Fleury retiring?

Official announcement and timeline

• Fleury has been listed as a former professional goaltender on league records, confirming his retirement (Wikipedia entry).
• He signed a one-year, $2.5 million extension with the Minnesota Wild on April 17, 2024, and indicated at the time that he would retire at the end of the 2024-25 season (Wikipedia).
• No formal retirement press conference has been held as of the latest update, leaving the exact date of the final announcement unclear.

Fleury’s final season with the Minnesota Wild

• The 2023-24 season was his last in the NHL. Fleury’s 17-year playoff streak ended when Minnesota was eliminated from playoff contention on April 9, 2024 (Wikipedia).
• He spent two seasons with the Wild after signing as a free agent, providing veteran leadership and mentorship to younger goaltenders.

Life after hockey

• Fleury has cited a desire to spend more time with his family as a primary reason for stepping away (NHL.com).
• Speculation continues about a potential front-office or ambassadorial role with the Pittsburgh Penguins, the franchise where he spent 13 seasons and holds franchise records for wins, shutouts, and goals-against average (NHL.com/de).

How many Stanley Cups did Marc-Andre Fleury win?

Championships with the Pittsburgh Penguins

• Fleury won three Stanley Cup titles with the Pittsburgh Penguins — in 2009, 2016, and 2017 (NHL.com/Penguins).
• The 2009 championship was his first; Fleury served as the backup to netminder Mathieu Garon during that run before becoming the primary starter.
• In 2016 and 2017, Fleury was the starting goaltender for both championship wins, delivering critical saves in clinching games.

2009, 2016, and 2017 titles

• The 2009 title came against the Detroit Red Wings in a seven-game series, with Fleury making a memorable glove save on Nicklas Lidström in the final seconds of Game 7.
• In 2016, the Penguins defeated the San Jose Sharks in six games. Fleury posted a .921 save percentage through the playoffs.
• In 2017, Pittsburgh beat the Nashville Predators in six games, marking Fleury’s third Cup — though he shared goaltending duties with Matt Murray during that postseason.

Role in each Cup run

• Fleury’s role evolved across the three championships. He was the promising young netminder in 2009, the established starter in 2016, and a veteran presence splitting time in 2017.
• His first NHL tenure with Pittsburgh ended after the 2017 Stanley Cup championship season, when the Vegas Golden Knights selected him in the expansion draft (NHL.com/Penguins).

Are Crosby and Fleury friends?

Origins of the friendship in Pittsburgh

• Sidney Crosby and Marc-Andre Fleury have been close friends since their early years together with the Penguins, dating back to the 2005 training camp when both were rising stars (Yahoo Sports).
• Their bond was forged through shared experiences — winning three Stanley Cups, navigating the pressures of a hockey-obsessed city, and supporting each other through personal milestones.
• Crosby has referred to Fleury as a brother in past interviews, a sentiment the goaltender has echoed publicly.

Public appearances and social media

• The friendship is well-documented through Instagram posts, interviews, and joint appearances. Both players have shared photos of family gatherings and off-ice activities.
• In March 2025, Yahoo Sports described a final Crosby-Fleury head-to-head matchup as a meeting of old teammates nearing the end of their careers (Yahoo Sports).

Impact on each other’s careers

• Both players have spoken about how the friendship provided stability during tough seasons. Crosby’s captaincy and Fleury’s goaltending formed the backbone of Pittsburgh’s dynasty years.
• The mutual respect is evident in how each discusses the other — not as teammates but as lifelong friends who happened to dominate the sport together.

Why did Marc-Andre Fleury retire?

Age and career longevity

• Fleury retired after 20 seasons in the NHL at age 39. He played his final season in 2023-24 with the Minnesota Wild.
• On January 15, 2024, he became the second-winningest goaltender in NHL history after his 552nd win, surpassing Patrick Roy and trailing only Martin Brodeur (Wikipedia).
• At 575 career wins, Fleury sits third all-time — a number that reflects both longevity and elite performance.

Desire to end on his own terms

• Fleury has stated that he wanted to retire on his own terms rather than be pushed out by declining performance or injury.
• No specific injury was reported as the cause of his retirement. The decision appears to have been a planned, gradual exit.

Family considerations

• Fleury considered retirement for family reasons after the 2021 trade to Chicago, according to NHL.com.
• His agent, Allan Walsh, said at the time that Fleury would take time to discuss his situation with family and seriously evaluate his hockey future (CBC Sports).
• Spending more time with his wife and children became a priority as his career wound down.

Why did Vegas trade Fleury?

Salary cap constraints

• The Vegas Golden Knights traded Fleury to the Chicago Blackhawks on July 27, 2021, in a move driven primarily by salary cap considerations (NHL.com).
• The return for Fleury was minor league forward Mikael Hakkarainen, a modest haul for a reigning Vezina Trophy winner (CBC Sports).
• The trade was widely described as stunning and an emotional departure for a player who had just carried the team to the Stanley Cup semifinals (CBC Sports).

Rise of Robin Lehner

• Vegas had acquired goaltender Robin Lehner at the 2020 trade deadline and signed him to a five-year extension, creating a crowded crease.
• The organization chose to build around Lehner as the younger, cheaper option, despite Fleury’s superior performance in the 2020-21 season.
• Lehner’s contract and potential were seen as a better long-term fit for the team’s cap structure.

Expansion draft aftermath

• Fleury had been selected by Vegas in the 2017 NHL Expansion Draft, spending four seasons as the face of the franchise (CBS News Pittsburgh).
• His departure shocked the hockey world, especially given that he had just won the Vezina Trophy as the league’s best goaltender — a rare achievement for a player about to be traded.

Career timeline

What we know and what we don’t

Confirmed facts

• Fleury is a former NHL goaltender — he has retired from professional hockey.
• He won three Stanley Cup championships with the Pittsburgh Penguins (NHL.com/Penguins).
• He was traded from the Vegas Golden Knights to the Chicago Blackhawks on July 27, 2021 (NHL.com).
• He has a close friendship with Sidney Crosby that dates back to their early years in Pittsburgh (Yahoo Sports).
• He finished his career with 575 NHL wins, third all-time, and 76 shutouts.

What’s unclear

• Exact date of a formal retirement press conference or announcement.
• Specific personal reasons for the retirement beyond the general desire to spend more time with family.
• Full details of the internal trade negotiations between Vegas and Chicago — and whether other teams were involved.

Voices on Fleury’s career

Fleury and Crosby have been close friends since their early years together with the Penguins, forming a bond that transcended the sport.

— Yahoo Sports (March 2025)

The trade was widely described as stunning and an emotional departure for a player who had just carried the team to the Stanley Cup semifinals.

— CBC Sports (July 2021)

Fleury would take time to discuss his situation with family and seriously evaluate his hockey future.

— Allan Walsh, Fleury’s agent, via CBC Sports

Fleury became the second-winningest goaltender in NHL history after his 552nd win, surpassing Patrick Roy and trailing only Martin Brodeur.

— Wikipedia (January 2024)

What Fleury’s retirement means for hockey

Marc-Andre Fleury’s retirement closes a chapter not just for one franchise, but for the entire NHL. He was the last active player from the 2003 draft class — a group that included future Hall of Famers like Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry. His 575 wins rank third all-time, behind only Martin Brodeur and Patrick Roy, and his 76 shutouts place him in elite company. For the Minnesota Wild, the departure means a vacancy in the veteran leadership role that stabilized their goaltending room. For the Penguins, it’s a reminder of an era when Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Fleury formed the core of a dynasty. For the league, it’s the quiet end of one of the most beloved careers in recent memory. The implication: the next generation of goaltenders will be measured against Fleury’s standard — not just in wins and shutouts, but in the grace with which he played the game.

Frequently asked questions