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Marc-Andre Fleury: His Finest Season?

By Scott Seningen

Jan 2, 2016; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins goalie Marc-Andre Fleury (29) looks on against the New York Islanders during the third period at the CONSOL Energy Center. The Penguins won 5-2. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 2, 2016; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins goalie Marc-Andre Fleury (29) looks on against the New York Islanders during the third period at the CONSOL Energy Center. The Penguins won 5-2. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports /
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Marc-Andre Fleury, in his twelfth season as a netminder for the Pittsburgh Penguins, is quite possibly having his finest campaign with the team. His play of-late is a primary factor why the Pens have moved up to second place within the Metropolitan Division.

The man we affectionately call “The Flower” is flourishing statistically in 2015-16. As of this post, he sits within the NHL top ten for goals-against-average, save percentage, wins and shutouts. Benchmarking against his previous season stats, Fleury is on pace for his best season in several categories.

His 2.29 goals-against-average (GAA) is his best yet. His previous best, through a full season of play, was 2.32, which happened twice for him: last year through 64 games and in 2010-11 through 65 games. His .921 save percentage is likewise tops. Through 35 games in 2007-08, Fleury notched the same save percentage. He’s played 23 more games as of this post, to get to the same mark.

Fleury has won more than sixty percent of the games in which he has appeared this season. In 2011-12 he had his finest win percentage with 42 victories in 67 appearances for a 62.7% victory mark. After that season however, the Pens made an early exit from the Stanley Cup Playoffs, losing to the Philadelphia Flyers in six games. Fleury had a 4.63 GAA and .834 save percentage in those playoffs.

In order to make the full season his finest yet, The Flower will need to continue his excellence into April, through May and into June. We may then see a repeat of the result obtained after the 2008-09 regular season.

At 31 years of age, Fleury is no longer an “up and coming” netminder. He’s a wily veteran who poke-checks pucks away from would-be goal-scorers. He can use not only his athleticism but also his wisdom to help guide the Penguins to victory these days.

He is certainly peaking at the right time. In his last 14 games played, Fleury is 11-3 with a 1.85 GAA and .927 save percentage. It’s been beneficial to have two back-up netminders to give Fleury some rest down the stretch as well. In particular the Pens have relied on the young Matt Murray to spell M-A when necessary.

Will this be Fleury’s best season yet? Time will tell. But we do know that he’s been spectacular lately, living up to the billing of a former number one overall draft pick.

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