Looking at the calendar, the game Thursday between the Minnesota Wild and visiting Washington Capitals at Xcel Energy Center could have been the night Alex Ovechkin made NHL history. But he came into the game still needing six goals to pass Wayne Gretzky (894 goals) for the most goals scored by a player in NHL history. So, at the very least he could have scored a goal to get a little bit closer to the milestone.

That didn’t happen either. Ovechkin was held off the scoresheet in his 1,482nd NHL game as the Wild captured a comeback 4-2 victory over the Capitals, snapping their two-game losing streak.

So, about that memorable ending?

After Freddy Gaudreau scored an empty-netter for his second goal of the night to put the game away, and the final horn sounded, the Wild congratulated their starting goaltender Filip Gustavsson on his seventh victory of March. Some of the Capitals players made their way toward the tunnel leading to the locker room. Ovechkin called them back to the ice, and the Capitals lined up near center ice to form a handshake line.

They were led by Ovechkin and waiting for one Wild player: Marc-Andre Fleury.

The Wild goaltender has been backing up Gustavsson more often these days, which is more about the hot-hand of Gustavsson and that the Wild are playing for their playoff lives. So, the Flower didn’t start and didn’t play in Thursday’s game.

“It was a little surprise there at the end. Then Bogo (Zach Bogosian) told me to look back,” Fleury said the next day after practice. “Everybody gets on and we fist bump everybody and went to go see Gus after the game. They were all lined up.

“A little surprise. Little bit… weird, I would say. I didn’t play the game, and then the whole team’s lined up. Very classy.”

Ovechkin mentioned Thursday morning that this game would mark the last time going up against Fleury, regardless of if the legendary goaltender played a minute in between the pipes. It’s been one of many memorable moments this season for Fleury, who is on a one-year contract and will likely retire from the NHL after this season.

The handshake tribute after the game was something the Capitals wanted to do, said Washington coach Spencer Carbery.

“Just paying the respects he deserves and the impressive career,” Carbery said. “He’s done so much. They’ve had so many battles. He’s had so many battles with the Caps, with ‘O’ (Ovechkin). So, pretty classy to be able to send him off and just say how impressive a career he had.”

Fleury was one of Charlie Lindgren’s favorite goalies growing up. Lindgren, the 31-year-old Lakeville North grad who made 17 saves for the Capitals in the loss Thursday, said he loved watching him play.

“The way he competed, the way he battled, just his personality,” Lindgren said. “I never had the chance to talk to him. Heck of a career.”

Wild winger Marcus Foligno also mentioned watching a bit of the Ovi-vs.-Fleury rivalry over the years before the he came into the NHL.

“That relationship is a little bit of a hate-love, but it’s one of those where you just tip your cap to the other guys and the battles that you saw in Pittsburgh and Capitals,” Foligno said.

Ovechkin thought the handshake line was a classy gesture, said Washington first-line center Dylan Strome, especially with their history as opponents.

“They played I don’t even know how many games against each other – I think I saw 47 today, not including playoffs,” Strome said. “It’s one of those things where you’ve got to respect greatness, and Fleury’s been great his whole career.

“I got the chance to play with him in Chicago, and everyone knows he’s one of the best people of all time in the game, so the little respect we can show him at the end of the game I think goes a long way and is well deserved for him.”

Yes, it’s been 47 games between the two. Ovechkin has scored 28 goals against Fleury in that time.

“We had so many battles,” Fleury said. “The Penguins, a few playoff series, even throughout the season, too, with him and Sid (Sidney Crosby). It was always a big deal. It was always a big game.

“I felt very lucky and fortunate I got to play so many games against him, compete against him. Obviously, a tough opponent.”

Fleury added that he was glad for the moment so he could tell Ovechkin it was fun playing against him, because “he’s had such a tremendous career also.”

Wild keeps giving Flower his flowers, too
The moment was special for Fleury’s Wild teammates, too. They stayed on the ice watching the handshake line unfold like the rest of the fans who stayed. Hearing players describe Fleury as “one of the best” they’ve ever played with is a common refrain this season.

“It’s special to have that when you quit hockey someday, that you played with that guy, for sure,” said Wild defenseman Jonas Brodin.

Wild coach John Hynes noted what a great teammate Fleury has been everywhere he’s played. Fleury was a Stanley Cup winner in Pittsburgh in 2009, 2016 and 2017. He also played with Vegas and Chicago before landing with the Wild at the 2022 trade deadline.

Fleury deserves all the accolades he’s gotten, Hynes said Thursday, adding that he’s said that same thing a couple of times in the past.

“He’s been a tremendous competitor to compete against. And obviously the quality of a human being that he is, all those things combined, I think we’re witnessing in part of a hall-of-fame player, a hall-of-fame person. That’s earned the respect not only as a player but I think as a competitor. Which is probably the best compliment you can get.”

The post Hall-Of-Fame Handshakes appeared first on Minnesota Hockey Magazine.

But even us curmudgeons had to appreciate what occurred on Thursday night in the Minnesota Wild’s 4-3 shootout victory in Washington.

With Matt Boldy having scored on the Wild’s second attempt, Alexander Ovechkin took the puck on his stick at center ice and skated in on Marc-Andre Fleury.

A 39-year-old legend who was the first-overall pick by Washington in the 2004 NHL draft, bearing down on a 40-year-old goaltender who was the first-overall selection by Pittsburgh a year earlier.

Ovechkin moved right and then back to the middle of the ice before snapping off a shot that Fleury stopped with his glove to set off a celebration among Wild players.

The NHL long ago became a young man’s game, and seeing two Hall of Fame legends competing for one of the final times is a special moment. Even if it was in a shootout.

Fleury has said this will be the last season of his 21-year NHL career. He spent 13 of those seasons competing against Ovechkin with the Penguins in the Eastern Conference. Ovechkin scored a power-play goal against Fleury on Thursday night, giving him 28 regular-season goals against The Flower. That’s more than he’s scored on any goalie.

Ovechkin also had 13 goals against Fleury in the playoffs, but the Penguins were 3-0 in the postseason against the Capitals during Fleury’s time in Pittsburgh. That includes Pittsburgh’s seven-game victory in the 2009 conference semifinals en route to a Stanley Cup title.

“It’s 20 years we play against each other,” Ovechkin told reporters. “It’s always fun. It’s always a challenge. He’s one of the best goalies out there and it’s a huge challenge for me to play against him.”

There could be one more meeting between Fleury and Ovechkin, and it would be more special than the one we saw Thursday.

Ovechkin has 871 career goals, putting him 24 goals away from breaking Wayne Gretzky’s time record of 894 goals. The Capitals are scheduled to play 33 games before they face the Wild on March 27 at Xcel Energy Center.

Ovechkin scored 15 goals in his first 18 games of the season before missing 16 because of a fractured fibula, but he has three goals in four games since his return. Could Ovechkin pass Gretzky’s mark in downtown St. Paul?

Fleury probably would be OK if that’s not the case. He already has plenty of memories of Ovechkin scoring goals against him.

“I feel fortunate I was able to play in this time,” Fleury told reporters. “He probably owes me a few things for scoring so many goals on me. I helped him out pretty good. I’m glad I got to face him. He’s one of the best and always brings the best out of you. It’s been fun battles with him.”

A long road (trip)
One can forgive Wild players if they aren’t as excited as Minnesota hockey fans are about the World Junior Championships being held next winter at Xcel Energy Center.

Ottawa is currently playing host to the world juniors and that has sent the Senators on a nine-game road trip in which they are 4-3-0. The tournament started the day after Christmas and runs through Sunday. The Senators last played at the Canadian Tire Centre on Dec. 14.

The 2026 world juniors will begin on Dec. 26, 2025 and run through Jan. 5, 2026. That means that other than the NHL’s holiday break, the Wild will be on a long trip beginning in late December and extending into early January.

The Canadian Tire Centre is the primary venue, hosting a total of 18 games, while TD Place hosted 12 games during the tournament. The secondary venue in Minnesota will be 3M Arena at Mariucci, home of the Gophers men’s hockey team.

It will be the first time the world juniors will be played in Minnesota since 1982. The tournament was conducted in a round-robin format at the time and won by Canada.

The North Stars’ home building, Met Center, hosted a few games but there also were games played in Manitoba, as well as multiple Minnesota cites, including Brainerd, Burnsville, Duluth, Grand Rapids, International Falls, Mankato, New Ulm, Rochester, St. Cloud and Virginia.

That’s no longer the case because the world juniors have become big business. 

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I haven’t heard a national pundit say a word about Crosby wearing the forest green, iron range red and harvest gold of the Minnesota Wild. Even though there is a compelling case to be made that the future Hall of Famer would be a great fit in Minnesota.

OK, I know what you’re saying. No way, no how. Crosby isn’t going to waive the full no-move clause he received in the two-year, $17.4 million contract he signed in September to remain with the Pittsburgh Penguins through the 2026-27 season. Maybe you’re right. Crosby could have walked as a free agent after this season but elected to stick with the franchise that made him the first-overall pick in the 2005 NHL Draft.

So, why is anyone talking about the 37-year-old future Hall of Famer waiving his no move? Because the relationship between Crosby and the Penguins — and a few other star players — no longer makes sense unless it’s solely based on stubbornness and sentimentality.

Penguins needs a rebuild – without Crosby
Crosby played a key role in the Penguins winning three Stanley Cups, and the franchise made 16 consecutive postseason appearances after missing in his rookie season. But Pittsburgh hasn’t been to the playoffs in the past two years and is on track to make it three in a row this season.

This isn’t a case where the Penguins are a hot streak or one addition away from turning it around. Pittsburgh is sitting at 7-10-4 through 21 games, giving them 18 points, and is a minus-26 in goal differential. The Penguins are 2-3-3 in their past eight games, losing twice in overtime and once in a shootout. There also was an 0-5-1 stretch last month that ended with a 5-3 loss to the Wild in Pittsburgh.

Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas needs to begin a significant rebuild as soon as possible and the list of veterans on his roster should make that possible. Dubas already dealt Jake Guentzel to Carolina last season and moved Lars Eller to Washington for two draft picks last week.

Penguins center Sidney Crosby on the ice in a game against the Minnesota Wild on March 31, 2022 at Xcel Energy Center. Crosby has scored more than 1,600 points in nearly 1,300 career NHL games, all played for Pittsburgh. (MHM Photo / Rick Olson)

But, for now, Crosby is off limits, and so is 38-year-old center Evgeni Malkin, who has spent all 19 of his seasons in Pittsburgh and has a full no-trade clause. Crosby and Malkin want to finish their NHL careers where they started, but will that remain the case?

There’s something very noble about spending your entire career in one place, but even Wayne Gretzky was traded twice in his NHL career and signed his last contract (with the New York Rangers) as a free agent.

Crosby, 37, still has plenty to offer as evidenced by his team-leading 20 points (seven goals and 13 assists) in 21 games this season. Crosby agreeing to waive his no-move clause could be a major benefit to the Penguins and himself. Interest would be high and this improved Wild team would make sense for a few reasons.

Crosby to the Wild would be a smooth transition
The Wild are off to a fantastic start this season under coach John Hynes. Their 4-2 win in St. Louis on Tuesday gave them 27 points, putting them behind only Winnipeg (32 points) and tied with Washington for second place in the NHL. Crosby would be welcomed by any team, but his transition to Minnesota would be nearly seamless.

There are two reasons for this: 1) Wild general manager Bill Guerin won the second and final Stanley Cup of his career as a teammate of Crosby’s with the Penguins in 2009 after being acquired that March from the New York Islanders. 2) Goalie Marc-Andre Fleury and Crosby were teammates in Pittsburgh for 12 seasons and remain close friends. They were a part of three Stanley Cup winning teams during that time.

Crosby and veteran defenseman Kris Letang stayed on the ice at PPG Paints Arena as fans chanted Fleury’s name and gave him an ovation following the Wild’s victory in Pittsburgh on Oct. 29. Fleury remains one of the most popular players in Penguins history, and fans wanted to show their love for him after what was expected to be the final start of his career in that city.

“I can try my hardest, try to bring (Crosby) here,” Fleury said during a recent appearance on the Bardown Beauties podcast with Jessi Pierce and Kirsten Krull. “But I don’t think he’s going to budge. … He doesn’t like change much.”

That’s a shame.

The NHL trade deadline isn’t until March 7, so there’s time for Crosby to change his mind about staying put. There are also scenarios, given the potential timing of the trade, and the return to Pittsburgh, under which Guerin could swing a deal that could work financially. The Avalanche, by the way, currently have less salary cap room than the Wild.

Of course, the Penguins wouldn’t give away Crosby. They likely would ask for center Marco Rossi and/or top prospects. ESPN recently ranked the Wild fourth in their NHL future power rankings based in part on the quality of their prospects. The ask might be too much, but Guerin knows more than anyone what Crosby brings on the ice and to the room.

Is Crosby to Minnesota, or anywhere else, likely? Probably not. But if he does decide to chase another Cup, doing it with his buddy, Fleury, would make a lot of sense.

The post Zulgad: Crosby To The Wild? appeared first on Minnesota Hockey Magazine.