As applause and chants of his name cascade throughout PPG Paints Arena on Tuesday night, Marc-André Fleury ’s thoughts may wander to any number of people, places and things. “Try to think of the good times,” Fleury said on the eve of playing his final NHL game in the city where his legend was born: Pittsburgh. Advertisement A late-October game between the Penguins and Minnesota Wild usually would not qualify as a special attraction.
For this one, the Penguins are selling special T-shirts. They also prepared a lengthy video to play during the game. And Evgeni Malkin said players “have surprises.
” All for an opponent who much of Pittsburgh thinks of like a brother or son. Given the option, Fleury would already have played for the last time in Pittsburgh. He asked out of the opportunity last season, but that was never an option this time around.
His wife — who was unhappy with the Penguins choosing to protect Matt Murray over Fleury in the 2017 Vegas expansion draft and with Fleury’s usage in that year’s Eastern Conference final — insisted her husband play once they decided months ago this would be his final season. She’ll be in a luxury suite Tuesday night with their three children. Fleury said his two daughters and son are “going to the game to see what it’s all about.
” “They’re older now. They understand,” he said. “I think maybe they can see all the fans, how good they’ve been to me over the years.
It’ll be cool to show them.” Fleury.
