Minnesota Wild bring back 39-year-old Marc-Andre Fleury on $2.5M, 1-year extension
ST. PAUL, Minn. — The Minnesota Wild announced Wednesday a one-year, $2.5 million contract extension for Marc-Andre Fleury, which will keep the goalie in green and red for his age-40 season.
Fleury, who turns 40 on Nov. 28, has had a prolific season in which he passed Patrick Roy for second place behind Martin Brodeur on the NHL's all-time list in career goaltending wins. Brodeur (691) is still 130 ahead of Fleury.
The Wild also have goalie Filip Gustavsson under contract for two more seasons on a $3.75 million salary cap charge and top prospect Jesper Wallstedt still waiting in the wings.
Fleury is 17-14-5 with an .895 save percentage that is the lowest of his 20-year career, and his 2.98 goals against average is his worst in seven seasons. He has two shutouts for the Wild, who were eliminated from contention for the playoffs last week. They host Seattle on Thursday to conclude the regular season.
This will be the first time in 18 years — since he was a 21-year-old with Pittsburgh — that Fleury won't make the playoffs.
The Wild acquired Fleury two years ago in a deadline-day trade with Chicago. He's 50-32-9 with a 2.89 goals against average and a .903 save percentage in 96 appearances with 91 starts for Minnesota.
Fleury made headlines this season for defying NHL rules by wearing a custom mask designed by an Indigenous artist. Mdewakanton Dakota artist Cole Redhorse Taylor created the mask for Fleury, who wore it while warming up during the Minnesota Wild's Native American Heritage Night in November. Fleury says he was honoring his wife, Véronique Larosee Fleury, who is Indigenous out of Canada.
The mask is now owned by the Minnesota Historical Society.
Note: The video above originally aired Nov. 22, 2023.
