Marc-Andre Fleury returning to Wild with two-year, $7 million deal

MONTREAL — Marc-Andre Fleury is returning to the Wild.

The three-time Stanley Cup champion and future Hall of Famer signed a two-year, $7 million contract on Thursday to bypass free agency and stick with the team that brought him in at the trade deadline.

Not only does this solidify the Wild's goaltending, reuniting Fleury with Cam Talbot, who is signed for another season, but it makes the team's roster much clearer for next season. The Wild has only approximately $1.4 million remaining in salary cap space after answering key offseason questions by trading Kevin Fiala, re-signing defenseman Jake Middleton and retaining Fleury with a deal that includes a no-movement clause.

"I think we have one of the top tandems in the league," General Manager Bill Guerin said. "Each and every night we're going to put a fantastic goalie in net. I think that's really important."

After arriving from the Blackhawks in exchange for a second-round draft pick, the 37-year-old Fleury went 9-2 with a 2.74 goals-against average and .910 save percentage while splitting the crease with Talbot before starting five of the team's six playoff games against St. Louis. Fleury's 16 consecutive trips to the postseason are a league record among goalies, and he became the first netminder in Wild history to win his first three games.

Combine that with his work with Chicago last season, and Fleury recorded 25 victories for the 13th time in his career; only Martin Brodeur (15) and Patrick Roy (14) have accomplished the feat more.

Since getting selected first overall by Pittsburgh in 2003, Fleury is 520-299-85 with a 2.57 goals-against average and, .913 save percentage and 71 shutouts in 939 career games. He won three titles with the Penguins. He ranks third in NHL history in wins and seventh in games played and is tied for 12th in shutouts.

Aside from winning three titles with the Penguins in 2009, 2016 and 2017, all with Guerin who was also in the Pittsburgh organization those years, Fleury received the 2021 Vezina Trophy with the Golden Knights as the league's top goaltender.

Fleury staying put sets up the Wild to bring back most of last season's roster, barring any trades. The team can also change its lineup through free agency, which opens Wednesday.

"[Fleury] kept referencing that, that he really liked the feel, he really liked the culture, he liked all the guys, the tightness of the team," Guerin said. "I have a great relationship with him, but I really do believe it was his teammates that brought it over the finish line."