The final media availability of the 2009-10 season was a bittersweet moment. It was strange thinking that it was probably my final moment in the old barn…granted, it wasn’t as sad as the final moments last Wednesday. That was a complete different thing. That was one of those “when the music died” kind of moments based on the fact that it was the last time for experiencing the excitement of playoff hockey…or any hockey for that matter at Mellon Arena. However, Friday will probably go down as my final moment in the building…
Marc-Andre Fleury seemed to be feeling a bit of that himself.
Sidney Crosby might have brushed the day off based on the fact that he expected to be back for one reason or another, but MAF said that it sort of sucked because the building was all he had known in a six year NHL career. I agree… it is all that any of us has known. Emotion about the building was only some of what Marc ran through in his final words of the season…
The Flower, like Crosby, looked like a tired man…one that needed a chance to recharge the batteries. He is sort of evolving into a workhorse goaltender and plays a ton of games. Sure Dan Bylsma has spelled more than anyone else over his career in getting Brent Johnson almost 20 games this past season and pulling Marc on a number of occasions, but he is a guy that plays a lot of games. That has worn on him over the past three years and he will be better for the break that he is going to get right now.
Fleury talked about the fact that he is going to hit the road for a vacation. He then cracked a joke, as only he can, saying that: “I don’t want to go back to Montreal and deal with all those fans yet,” which brought laughs from all of the gathered media. He went on to share his disappointment about losing the way they did and how he is hopeful that Ray Shero can keep the blue line intact. Especially because he has grown close to a number of his defensemen and he would hate to see any of them go.
The Flower looked thinner than usual and still had some bags under his eyes. It wouldn’t shock me to hear that he has had some sleepless nights over the loss. He has done a great job of shaking off adversity over the past couple of seasons, but I really think losing this year got to him a bit. The good news is that he will bounce back with a vengeance. Mark it down… Fleury will win 43 games next season and post statistics that will open the eyes of his doubters…
Fleury is one of the most amazing people in that locker room and he has a ton of skill. Though a number of folks still doubt him on a daily basis, he was a major part of two Stanley Cup runs, one Cup win and is a big game goalie. It is only a matter of time before he is backstopping Canada in most of their major International competitions as well…
(end Fleury rant)
With that I give you MAF’s final scrum of the season…
Walshy… FYI… saved this one for last because the sound is not great. Hopefully you guys can get the gist of what we heard!
Walshy
May 16, 2010 at 6:00 am
Metz, you always come through!
Jay
May 17, 2010 at 7:50 am
I don’t blame MAF as much as the Pens for many of his flaws. You could still see the effects of playing in back of a garbage team as an 18 YO has on him.
He still has as much natural skill as anyone in the league but he just wasn’t groomed properly.
Gunner Staal
May 17, 2010 at 10:31 am
If MAF is still having leftover issues from a team he played on when he was 18 then the Penguins are in trouble with his contract.
His struggles have absolutely nothing to do with things that happened 5 or 6 years ago. Not to mention Fleury was in WB/S and not with the Pens at the start of his career.
His struggles have to do with physical and mental fatigue. Perhaps it also has to do with his commitment to the game this year. Its only natural to have a drop off after a Cup and a Gold Medal, whether he played in the tournament or not.
rico
May 17, 2010 at 1:33 pm
defensemen who clear the crease and don’t turn the puck over 15+ times a game in their own zone will help fleury “return” to form.
Dutch
May 17, 2010 at 9:45 pm
I like MAF, he has been clutch many times, he is a CUP winning Goalie. Period. He has some bad habits and lets in too many softies but this season’s Defense core was a step down from last’s. The young defensemen should be better next season and we’ll have to count on GM Ray Shero to acquire some defensive upgrades in the offseason. Hopefully the extra rest will do MAF well and he’ll return to his .920 sv % form. Good Luck MAF
Gregarov
May 18, 2010 at 2:53 pm
I don’t know what to think of Fluery. He doesn’t seem to be an elite goalie, but on occasion steals the show. I would say he is a very average starting goalie, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Just lets in a few too many softies.
Jay
May 18, 2010 at 3:40 pm
Started with WBS? MAF’s first game came in a loss to the Kings. He made 46 saves, many of them jaw dropping, but it masked the fact that he had a ton of flaws.
He had a quick glove but couldn’t catch…
Could get lured out of position by the puck carrier leaving the net empty…
Rebound control…
Mentally fragile…
All of that could be put aside when drafting him first over all because of his ability but to let him play at that stage of his career, in back of that team was just wrong. After that he had the mistake at the WJC and a pretty bad stay at WBS.
The kid has been bounced around and there’s no question where his mental game is at. That mental game for a goalie is flat out huge. Sort of like a pitcher in baseball.
Now the Pens have a goalie that can’t seem to focus and we (the fans) don’t know what MAF will show up from one game to the next. I’ll agree that the defense has to get better but there are a ton of softies in there too.
Gunner Staal
May 18, 2010 at 5:23 pm
Jay, his first year he did play NHL games but they buried him in Jr’s to save money. He was loaned to Canada for the World Jrs and then was sent to Cape Breton. This was a combination of him not winning an NHL game from early December to late January, and he was due a 3 million dollar bonus.
Things that happened when he was 18 have nothing to do with his shortcomings as a goalie presently.
Harry M. Wise
June 3, 2010 at 9:01 pm
Love Ozzfest. Love Ozzy!