The post Gallery: Wild vs. Blackhawks appeared first on Minnesota Hockey Magazine.

Fleury’s three stops — Vegas, Chicago and Minnesota — since leaving the Penguins are a far smaller part of his story. Still, fans of the Golden Knights, Blackhawks and Wild should count themselves lucky that they have gotten to watch the future Hall of Famer make spectacular diving saves, flash his glove on stops that look straight out of the 1980s and play the game with a joy that make it difficult to believe he turned 39 in November.

In what has been a roller-coaster season for a Wild team that fired coach Dean Evason in late November, got close to a wild card spot by winning 11 of its first 14 games under new coach John Hynes, but then went 1-5 to fall back in the playoff race, there hasn’t been much reason for excitement.

Fleury, though, has been an exception, even if the extremely competitive netminder is unlikely to admit it. The milestones he has reached in recent weeks are a reminder that Fleury’s teammates and Wild fans are witnessing a player who belongs among hockey’s royalty.

Fleury’s workload has been more than anyone expected, or the Wild wanted, in part because a recent lower body injury to No. 1 goalie Filip Gustavsson has forced the veteran into the top role.

Nick Bjugstad’s breakaway goal past a sprawling Marc-Andre Fleury sealed Minnesota’s Game 6 victory over Vegas in 2021. (MHM Photo / Rick Olson)

A day after Gustavsson had to leave a start at Winnipeg, Fleury played in his 1,000th game in a 3-2 loss to the Jets, joining Martin Brodeur (1,266 games), Roberto Luongo (1,044) and Patrick Roy (1,029) as the only goalies to reach that mark. A week later, the Wild’s 4-3 overtime win at Columbus gave Fleury his 551st career victory, tying Roy for second place on the all-time list behind Brodeur’s 691 victories.

“I don’t know, I’m kind of happy it’s over,” Fleury said after playing in his 1,000th game. “I wish it was a win. … Obviously, very flattered by the reception from the crowd, from my teammates. It means a lot. I feel very fortunate that I’ve played for so long and I’ve got to do what I love for many years. I’m lucky for that.”

Oh, yeah, have we mentioned that there might be no bigger class act in the NHL than Fleury? He is the dream of any public relations department. Fleury answers every question after good games or bad games, the latter is the test of a player’s character, and often does it with a self-deprecating, aw-shucks approach more befitting of a rookie than a first-ballot Hall of Famer.

“We’re so proud to have him here as a teammate and as good of a player as he is on the ice, off ice he’s even better,” Wild winger Marcus Foligno said after Fleury’s 1,000th game. “We’re lucky to have him in our room, and it’s great to be a part of something so special in a player’s career.”

Marc-Andre Fleury makes plenty of eye-popping, acrobatic saves in net. (MHM Photo / Rick Olson)

He’s still got it
The question is how much longer Fleury will continue to play? His incredible glove save on Columbus’ Yegor Chinakhov in overtime came right before Marco Rossi ended the game and (rightfully) was all anyone was talking about afterward. Even in an ugly 4-0 loss to Dallas on Monday night, Fleury made a spectacular, swiping glove save on the goal line on a shot from a stunned Sam Steel.

It’s those type of saves — not to mention the joy he takes in being a top-level prankster — that make you wonder why Fleury would consider hanging up his goalie pads. But there is the reality of the situation. Fleury and his wife have three children and being a goalie nearing the age of 40 isn’t compatible with stability.

Fleury and his family already have filed more than one change of address notice in recent years.

He was taken by Vegas in the 2017 expansion draft and became a fan favorite during his four seasons with the Golden Knights. Fleury started 20 games in the 2018 playoffs as the expansion Knights lost to the Washington Capitals in the Stanley Cup Finals. Vegas moved on from Fleury in July 2021 and he started 45 games with the Chicago Blackhawks that season before being dealt to the Wild at the 2022 trade deadline for a second-round pick.

Wild general manager Bill Guerin, who had been a teammate of Fleury’s for two seasons at the end of his career in Pittsburgh, made the trade hoping the goalie would frustrate opponents like he did the Wild in the first round of the 2021 postseason. Fleury had similar aspirations, waiving his no-trade clause in the process.

Fleury has played in 1,000 career NHL games. (MHM Photo / Rick Olson)

The Wild, however, were bounced in the first round in 2022 by the St. Louis Blues with Fleury as the main goalie, and then last spring by the Stars with Fleury as the backup. Given the Wild’s current status, it’s getting more and more difficult to believe their will be a playoff appearance this spring.

Fleury is in the final season of a two-year, $7 million contract and has no-move protection. You have to believe Guerin will do everything to place him with a contender, if the Wild continue to stumble and Fleury expresses an interest at making one last playoff run.

That will be up to Fleury.

He is more than deserving of calling his own shots at this point. But as his time in Minnesota winds down, Gustavsson and rookie Jesper Wallstedt are likely to be the Wild’s goalie duo next season, we should appreciate the brief opportunity we will have gotten to be in the midst of goaltending greatness.

The post A Joyful Fleury appeared first on Minnesota Hockey Magazine.

The post Gallery: Wild vs. Blackhawks appeared first on Minnesota Hockey Magazine.

Marc-Andre Fleury appears pleased with his new surroundings. (MHM Photo / Rick Olson)

So it should have come as no surprise that Guerin again showed that being good isn’t good enough as he made multiple deals before the NHL trade deadline on Monday. The biggest landed future Hall of Fame goalie Marc-Andre Fleury from Chicago for a conditional second-round pick that will become a first-rounder if the Wild reaches the Western Conference Finals and Fleury wins at least four games in the opening two rounds. (Guerin would happily walk that first-round pick to Chicago if that happens.)

These guys have done their part to today, so I have to do my part. — Wild GM Bill Guerin

Guerin also sent backup goalie Kaapo Kahkonen to San Jose, along with a fifth-round pick, for big defenseman Jacob Middleton. This came two days after the Wild obtained fourth-line winger Nicolas Deslauriers from Anaheim for a 2023 third-round pick. Guerin started his deadline-related maneuvers last Tuesday by acquiring center Tyson Jost from the Avalanche for Nico Sturm.

There had been some feeling that Guerin might not want to make too many changes because the Wild had become a cohesive team and sending players packing, or having guys come in and take their jobs, might not be the best idea with the playoffs around the corner. Guerin, however, didn’t win two Stanley Cup titles as a player, including one with Fleury in 2009, and two more as an executive with the Penguins by worrying about whose feelings were getting hurt.

Is disrupting chemistry something that Guerin had to consider? Of course. But far more important was bringing in guys who can help the Wild capitalize on what has looked like a special season at times but also featured some troublesome bumps in the road.

Fleury denies Kevin Fiala en route to a 35-save, 4-0 win over Minnesota in Game 4 of the Wild’s Stanley Cup playoff first-round series with the Vegas Golden Knight’s on May 22, 2021 at Xcel Energy Center. (MHM Photo / Rick Olson)

“These guys have done their part to today,” Guerin said, “so I have to do my part. And, you know what? It’s because of them. It’s not what I’m doing today, it’s because of what these guys have done all year and the way that they’ve played and the way that they’ve changed things around here. This is a credit to them. Like I said, I’m doing my job, I’m doing my part.”

It would have been far more concerning if Guerin had done nothing in goal after starter Cam Talbot and Kahknonen failed to show the type of consistency needed for a team that wants to make it past the first round. By many measures, the Wild goaltending situation couldn’t be trusted. Fleury, 37, posted a 2.95 goals-against average and .908 save percentage in 45 games, but that was playing behind a bad Chicago team that had high hopes when it acquired him from Vegas last offseason.

Fleury was coming off a season in which he won the Vezina Trophy with the Golden Knights. He posted a 1.98 goals-against average and .928 saves percentage and then played in all seven games in the opening round as Vegas eliminated Minnesota. It was Fleury who also helped lead the expansion Golden Knights to the Stanley Cup Finals in 2018.

The 18-year veteran is considered hockey royalty and one of the better locker room guys in the sport. Fleury should be rejuvenated in Minnesota and the Wild locker room should be equally excited to add a player many members of the Wild probably looked up to as kids.

It was on the opening day of training camp this season that Guerin addressed the team in a clip that caught the attention of many. The GM asked his players if they “knew what this was all about?” Silence followed until Guerin called on Spurgeon. “Hard working and having fun,” Spurgeon responded. The words had barely gotten out of Spurgeon’s mouth when Guerin snapped back, “(Bleep) that. This is about winning.”

Much remains to be expected from Cam Talbot, both in the crease and in the dressing room, for the Wild to achieve postseason success. (MHM Photo / Rick Olson)

Assurances were given shortly thereafter that there was nothing staged about this moment. Spurgeon had responded with what he believed to be the correct answer and one that for years probably would have been tolerated by a franchise that was used to quick playoff exits. But if Guerin was serious about his response he needed to do more than pay lip service to the stated goal. He needed to provide action that will knock Talbot into a backup role, that will cost a fourth-line winger his spot and also put a top six defenseman into the press box.

The Wild had gotten off to a 19-5-1 start that put them in first place in the NHL and had a 9-0-1 run at another point. But it had become clear the Wild needed help in net — Talbot’s five-game winning streak was nice but didn’t change Guerin’s mind — and needed to be bigger, meaner and tougher to have a chance in the postseason.

Middleton brings size (6-foot-3, 219 pounds) and is a shutdown defenseman. Deslauriers will take care of anyone who happens to bother Kirill Kaprizov, meaning Marcus Foligno can focus on staying on the ice. The teams that pushed the Wild around in recent weeks have been put on notice, and the high-flying Avalanche now will have to watch their backs against the Wild.

This provides no guarantees the Wild will make a run in the postseason, but it does reiterate Guerin’s message: Bleeping winning is more important than anything else.

The post No Mixed Messages appeared first on Minnesota Hockey Magazine.

In this fourth and last series, Phil demonstrates stick handling skills.

• Stick Handling – Housley demonstrates the need to get into good hockey position and  to transferring the weight to develop the proper technique for stickhandling
• Toe Drag – Housley demonstrates the toe to heal and heal to toe figure 8 drill to develop puck handling skills
• Puck Protection – Phil shows the proper positioning for the best way to protect the puck while under pressure
• Offensive Puck Possession – Phil describes the proper technique on driving to the net with the puck using the body to protect the puck from the defender

Loading Videos...

The post Phil’s Skills – Series 4/4 (Stick Handling) appeared first on Minnesota Hockey Magazine.

In this third series, Phil demonstrates passing skills.

• Passing – Housley shows the techniques on the three basic elements with catching and receiving and the heel to toe movement of the puck on the stick to create the spin for control
• Saucer Pass – Housley demonstrates the proper technique on coming from a good hockey position transferring the weight while going heal to toe with lifting the stick to create some lift on the puck and saucer it to your teammate
• Backhand Saucer Pass – Phil demonstrates the more difficult techniques to make a saucer pass from the backhand position
• Area Pass – Housley shows the correct way to lead a player by passing to an area where your teammate will be the first to reach the puck

Loading Videos...

The post Phil’s Skills – Series 3/4 (Passing) appeared first on Minnesota Hockey Magazine.

In this second series, Phil demos the more advanced shooting skills.

• One-Timer – Phil demonstrates how to get into the prime wheel house position with a strong lower hand following through to the target
• Shooting Angle – Phil Housley describes the technique for changing the angle of a shot
• Indirect Shot Pass – The Shot pass or indirect pass involves the shot from the point where the shooter aims for the stick of a breaking forward to redirect the puck to the net
• Catch & Release – Housley describes the concept of a quick shot on how to catch the puck and shoot quickly by changing the position of the body, catching and releasing the shot

Loading Videos...

The post Phil’s Skills – Series 2/4 (Shooting II) appeared first on Minnesota Hockey Magazine.

Minnesota Hockey Magazine is excited to bring you 4 series of exclusive on-ice training videos taken with Phil Housley.  In this first series, Phil demos basic shooting skills.

• Wrist Shot – Phil demonstrates how to perform the basic Wrist Shot
• Snap Shot – Using the same principles as the wrist shot in loading the shot-Housley demonstrates the proper technique taking a Snap Shot
• Slapshot – Phil demonstrates the proper technique for the Slap Shot
• Backhand – Phil demonstrates how to get to the prime wheel house position with a strong lower hand following through to the target

Loading Videos...

The post Phil’s Skills – Series 1/4 (Shooting I) appeared first on Minnesota Hockey Magazine.

In our final segment, Phil Housley recalls playing for the US National Teams in World Tournaments starting while still in High School and figured after competing at that level he was ready to play in the NHL.  He did just that,  never a day in the minors and playing on all the top US Teams including playing 20 years later for the US National Team in the Olympics in Salt Lake City for Herb Brooks.  Phil then talks about his induction in the International Ice Hockey Federation Hall of Fame.

The post Phil Housley – MHM Exclusive Interview (Segment 8/8) appeared first on Minnesota Hockey Magazine.

Housley lists his all-time favorites with who were the favorite players, coaches and teams in his legendary career and then talks about the intensity of the Stanley Cup playoffs.   Housley is still chasing getting his name on the Cup and is hoping that now happens as a coach.  He says after an 82 game schedule and then win another 16 games to hold the Cup is the hardest championship to win in all sports.

The post Phil Housley – MHM Exclusive Interview (Segment 7/8) appeared first on Minnesota Hockey Magazine.