Marc-André Fleury may not be ready to retire yet

Marc-André Fleury is now 39 years old.

One might have expected the Wild to trade him at the trade deadline to allow him to lift the Cup one last time before seeing him retire…

But in the end, the Minnesota outfit decided to keep him in town because they were still in the playoff hunt. That said, with around 10 games left on the NHL schedule, everything points to the Wild not being part of the spring dance.

So, is this Fleury’s last go-round as a long-time player with a decorated professional career?

Not by a long shot, no.

At least, not according to his recent comments… :

I’d like to sit down with Bill Guerin and have a chat. I want to know what he thinks. What are the Wild’s plans? What are his options? What does he think of me? Am I still an asset to the team? – Marc-André Fleury

All in all, Fleury isn’t closing the door on a return to Minnesota next season:

Fleury: ‘Door is more open’ for return to Wild next season https://t.co/m29uVl306L

– theScore NHL (@theScoreNHL) March 29, 2024

Fleury will celebrate his 40th birthday this November.

That said… The goalie won’t be returning to the game “just because”.

He’ll want a chance to win on a regular basis, and maybe the Wild can’t offer him that opportunity because it’s going to be tough again in Minnesota next season.

Marc-André Fleury is a passionate player, and that’s normal because he’s won everything in his professional career. In terms of his performances, it’s hard to be worried about what’s to come, because we also know how fit he is.

At that point, the Wild will have a big decision to make, because Fleury has proven that he can still play at the highest level. The Quebecer shouldn’t have too much trouble accepting the role of second goaltender in Minnesota next year… But is it really worth it, given that the Wild could really miss out on the playoffs next year?

And if that’s the case, would Fleury agree to be traded at the deadline if he signs with Minnesota and the Wild aren’t in the playoff hunt at the next trade deadline?