PHOTO COURTESY PITTSBURGH PENGUINS

Penguins fans will have one more opportunity to see Marc-Andre Fleury in black and gold.

The 40-year-old goaltender retired at the conclusion of the 2024-25 season, wrapping up his storied NHL career as a member of the Minnesota Wild. While he was happy to retire with Minnesota, he will next week suit up with the team he helped lead to three Stanley Cups. Fleury plans to appear in goal for portions of the team’s Sept. 27 preseason game against the Columbus Blue Jackets. He’ll also attend practice with the team next week.

“In a city like this, that values their sports teams and the players that bring special moments — having a chance to do something like this for Marc-Andre but also for the fans became something that was important to us,” said Kyle Dubas, the Penguins’ president of hockey operations, in a press conference Wednesday.

Speaking to SportsNet Pittsburgh, Fleury explained that he signed what is essentially a tryout contract with the Penguins out of respect to the Wild, where he is happy to have formally retired. Instead, he says, the appearance next week will be a thank-you to fans in Pittsburgh. He added that he plans to remain in retirement.

Dubas stresses that Fleury’s presence in the locker room is invaluable to the team’s goaltenders. “I observed his impact on younger players at [the worlds], and it was immense … he’s just awesome. I don’t know any other way to put it.”

Fleury, the Penguins’ all-time wins leader with 375 victories, was with the team from 2003-17 before being selected by the Vegas Golden Knights as part of their expansion draft. He later played with the Chicago Blackhawks before being traded to the Wild, where he spent the final three full seasons of his career.

He ranks second all-time among goaltenders in both wins and games played.

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