Brian Boucher: How Murray & Fleury Have Handled Controversy Is Astounding
PITTSBURGH (93-7 The Fan) – NBC Sports NHL analyst and former goaltender Brian Boucher joined "The Fan Morning Show" on Thursday to offer his thoughts on the Penguins' goaltending situation, which has been a hot topic of conversation this postseason.
Boucher said he has been amazed by Matt Murray's ability to handle not only the pressure that comes with playing in the playoffs, but also the added heat that's come from the possibility that he could lose his starting job to Marc-Andre Fleury at any moment.
"I don't know how there isn't a looking-over-your-shoulder effect," Boucher said. "And that's why I'm really impressed by how this guy's played. I mean, the between-the-ears on him is really something that I can't put into words. I'm astounded by it."
"He's got a guy in Marc-Andre Fleury who's a Stanley Cup winner sitting on the bench. He knows that the minute he drops the ball, it's going to be [Fleury's] turn to get back in there - and to me, as a goaltender, that's like the worst feeling you can have, knowing that if you make one bad mistake, or have one bad game, or one bad series, that's it."
"There's zero room for error, and yet he's been virtually flawless…He hasn't shown any sign of weakness. And if he does show a sign of weakness, then you've got a veteran guy in Marc-Andre Fleury who's ready to go, who will be a pro, who will go in and do a job. But, it's got to be tough for Matt Murray, and that's why I'm really impressed by the way he's been able to handle all of this attention and spotlight."
Boucher also said that he has been impressed by how Fleury has handled himself throughout this whole process. He thinks Fleury's attitude and leadership have been tremendously beneficial to the Penguins, even if he hasn't played a minute this postseason.
"[Fleury's] 110 percent a class act, a true pro," Boucher said. "And that's why this team is having success, because they have quality people in their locker room. When you have a guy that's willing to put his ego aside and all of that, it says a lot about, one, who he is, and where this team is at."
"Without a guy like Marc-Andre Fleury being able to do that, I don't think this team would be where they're at…For Marc-Andre Fleury to accept that role, and to be that mentor that you hear Matt Murray talking about a lot - in keeping Matt Murray loose, in keeping guys loose in the locker room - just says a lot about who Marc-Andre Fleury is."
"You need quality people like that on your team if you want to win. It's more than X's and O's. It's about relationships. I give a lot of credit to Marc-Andre Fleury. [It's] not an easy thing to do when you're a competitor, and you've been the go-to guy for a long time, to be able to sit back and watch somebody else do the job and get all the accolades. So, I give him a lot of credit for that."
The interview can be heard here:
