dpFleury’s signature moment in black and gold came in the waning seconds of Game 7 of the 2009 Stanley Cup Final against the Detroit Red Wings, when he threw his body at a shot from Hall of Famer Nicklas Lidstrom to preserve the lead, and the win. It is the first thing that comes to mind for most people when they think of Fleury’s time with the Penguins.
But if you ask Fleury what he remembers from that night, he first credits his friend and teammate Max Talbot, who scored both goals in their 2-1 win. Then, Fleury admits that his game-saving stop is what dreams are made of. The team that had been the NHL’s worst his first season was now the NHL’s best just six years later.
“We were just holding on, you know? The Wings kept pushing all the way to the end. Got to dive around a bit and get a piece of the puck,” Fleury said. “That was fun, because I think as a kid, that’s something I’ve played or dreamt, playing Game 7 and making a big save in the last second to win the Cup. To actually do it was pretty cool.”
While Fleury later transitioned into a tandem role during the team’s back-to-back championships in ‘16 and ‘17, his clutch performances, especially in the ‘17 playoffs, were instrumental in the Penguins’ success.
Looking back, Fleury did experience his share of struggles as well. But the highs far outnumbered the lows, and no matter what Fleury was experiencing, he always remained the consummate professional and teammate.
“There were some long days, there was some bad times, some bad years and stuff,” Fleury said. “But the good always took over, and we had a lot of good years together and a lot of fun. So, yeah, it’s crazy. Got to enjoy every moment, because it goes by quick. Time flew by, like, so quickly.”
Fleury started his time here as part of a young group that included players like Talbot, Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Jordan Staal. As his Hall of Fame career went on, Fleury was universally adored by everyone he played with.
When posed a question about his legacy and how he would like to be remembered in Pittsburgh, Fleury said that the respect of those teammates was always significant to him.
“Because we’re the ones that together, we have to find ways to win games together and stuff,” Fleury said. “So, I think if you can rely on each other and trust each other and push each other to win, I think that’s very important. So, if I can be remembered as somebody who wanted to win and compete, but also as a good teammate, I think it’s important.”
