Marc-Andre Fleury is, by hockey standards, a very young goaltender. By breaking with hockey tradition, playing Fleury with little seasoning in the minors, he has played 114 career games by the tender age of 22. This along with the fact that a large percentage of his teammates are not much older can lead to a tough time in the NHL.
But his youth and inexperience may be part of his strength. He understands that the defense in front of him is not a veteran group, with years of hockey experience and defensive know-how. And unlike a veteran goaltender, that fact does not frustrate him. He is growing with his teammates, not past them. He needs, on a nightly basis, to be more alert, agile, and prepared than a lot of other goaltenders. This will only make him a better player.
How much better? In his last nine games, he is 7-0-2, allowing 22 goals on 293 shots for a .924 save percentage. He has 24 wins this year, tying him with Buffalo Sabres’ Ryan Miller, the Atlanta Thrashers’ Kari Lehtonen and the Toronto Maple Leafs’ Andrew Raycroft for seventh-most in the NHL Not bad company. Mixed in with the wins, are four shutouts, giving him only 6 for his career.
These numbers, and the “weak” defense in front of him, should show the hockey world that he is a big time goalie, and can carry a team to victory. He is spectacular a times, and looks like a 22 year old at other times. The spectacular saves should not go away. The 22 year old, Marc-Andre Fleury, will only grow older and more confident as the years go by.
