Although Marc-Andre Fleury has retired from the NHL, he remains a fan favorite among the Pittsburgh Penguins, Vegas Golden Knights and Minnesota Wild fan bases.
He was also well-liked by his Chicago Blackhawks teammates during his short 2021-22 tenure, but Fleury is most closely associated with his successful runs in Pittsburgh and Vegas.
He’ll forever be a hero for the Penguins, as he helped them win the Stanley Cup in 2009 as starting goaltender, the club’s first title since 1992. And while there’s a good chance he’ll be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in the near future, he’s receiving a more immediate and no less well-deserved honor.
Former Pittsburgh Penguins Fan Favorite Marc-Andre Fleury Honored With QMJHL Hall Of Fame Induction
Fleury, who previously played for the QMJHL’s Cape Breton Eagles before making the jump to the NHL in 2003 with the Penguins, was honored earlier this week by being inducted into the QMJHL Hall of Fame.
During the ceremony, he became emotional when looking back on his time with the Hawkins family, who were his billet family.
“A couple of things made me love my time in Nova Scotia – my love for the game and the Hawkins (his billet family),” said Fleury in his speech Wednesday night via CTV News.
“They even loaned me a car once they helped me get my license. But one night I went to get burgers for the family and then when I got home, I backed up into the garage door and left a pretty good dent,” he said.
“I felt pretty ashamed and awful about that. I went inside worried about their reaction and thinking Bob was going to be pretty mad at me. But then he asked, ‘Are the burgers ok?’ just to make me feel better.”
While with the Cape Breton Eagles, Fleury appeared in 151 games and compiled a record of 63–50–17.
Marc-Andre Fleury Played One Last Pre-Season Game In Pittsburgh last Fall
After spending the final seasons of his NHL career with Minnesota, Fleury decided to make one last preseason appearance with Pittsburgh last fall.
The farewell game was held at a sold-out PPG Paints Arena, where the Penguins faced off against their division rival, the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Former Penguins Goalie Marc-Andre Fleury Earns Hall of Fame Honor