Besides pursuing a Stanley Cup, one of the biggest stories of the Minnesota Wild's upcoming season is the final campaign of goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury. One of the game's most beloved personalities and one of the winningest net minders of all time is set for a season-long victory lap for his 21st and final NHL season.
One of the calling cards of the Wild's goalie is his prank-loving nature. Ever since his rookie days with the Pittsburgh Penguins, Fleury developed a well-earned reputation for being a pranskter regardless of the locker room he's in. While his 561 wins stands as the second-most in NHL history, he's unofficially set the record for most good-natured jokes while in the league.
With the Wild's preseason wrapping up, Fleury decided to get some practice in with the team's ice crew. During a television timeout, Fleury stepped onto the ice with the cleaning crew in a clever disguise. Armed with a mustache and a pair of fake glasses, he went unnoticed as he skated around with his shovel. Despite not having the proper uniform and not quite understanding what his job was, Fleury went undetected by his teammates. The announcer on the game said he even offered the team some encouragement as he skated by.
"The guys had no idea," he said. "So he skated by the bench, did a fly-by, and said: 'Come on boys! Let's get it going!'"
Fleury is entering his 21st NHL season and his fourth with the Wild. He's a three-time Stanley Cup winner with the Penguins as well as a Vezina Trophy winner during the 2020-2021 season. He's appeared in 1,021 total games, starting 995 of them, and has accumulated 561 total victories. He also 169 games of postseason experience, posting 92 wins over his two decade long career.
