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Marc-Andre Fleury Officially Connected to Three Stanley Cup Contenders
Today marks exactly one month until the NHL's March 8th trade deadline.
One of the biggest names expected to be on the move between now and the deadline is veteran goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury of the Minnesota Wild. The Wild have underperformed this season, and Fleury is a pending unrestricted free agent who can leave the team this upcoming offseason.
It remains to be seen what happens with Fleury long-term, but NHL insider Elliotte Friedman seems to think that in the short term, he believes Fleury will be seeking at least one last playoff run in the Spring/Summer.
Fleury will generate trade interest league-wide, but because he has a no-trade clause, it'll be up to him to ultimately decide where he ends up. Specifically, though, Friedman highlights the Carolina Hurricanes, Colorado Avalanche, and Edmonton Oilers as the most likely trade destinations.
However, Friedman also mentions that at least two of those teams have issues that could prevent a perfect fit.
In Friedman's most recent 32 Thoughts column for Sportsnet, he stated:
«When it comes to goalies, Marc-Andre Fleury will have the biggest impact. He's earned the right to call his shot; nothing happens without his approval. Fleury initially was unhappy to move from Vegas to Chicago, and needed convincing to go to Minnesota. But the guy eats, breathes, and loves hockey, so he adapts upon arrival. This screams Carolina, Colorado, or Edmonton, all playoff-bound. But, in some of those situations, he wouldn't be the starter, so that factors in. Again, it's his call, and deservedly so.» - Elliotte Friedman
If I were a betting man, I'd put my money on Carolina. The Avalanche seem to have found some stability with Alexandar Georgiev, and, like Friedman points out, Fleury would be headed there in a backup role. The same could probably be said for Edmonton, given Stuart Skinner's recent play, but the #1 job is always up for grabs in Northern Alberta.
Source: Hockeyfeed
| POLL | ||
FEVRIER 8 | 131 ANSWERS Marc-Andre Fleury Officially Connected to Three Stanley Cup Contenders Where do you think Marc-Andre Fleury would fit best? | ||
| Carolina Hurricanes | 23 | 17.6 % |
| Colorado Avalanche | 39 | 29.8 % |
| Edmonton Oilers | 35 | 26.7 % |
| Other | 34 | 26 % |
| List of polls | ||