Has Marc-Andre Fleury become overrated in recent years?

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Nucks2001

Registered User
Jul 6, 2023
593
463
I know. I'm going to get a lot of flack for this. I think he's a very good goalie and his longevity speaks for itself, but I don't think he was the best-of-the-best for his generation. Hot take: I don't think Marc-Andre Fleury was ever consistently a top 5 goalie in the NHL. I still think being top 10 over stretches is impressive, but I don't understand how some people can justify putting him over Lundqvist or Price. Still a HHOF and a good goalie.

2005-2010
I'd comfortably put these goalies over him:

Brodeur
Luongo
Kiprusoff
Lundqvist
Nabokov
Thomas
Miller

2010-2015:
Statistically, Fleury's worst 5-year stretch. Lost his starting job a couple times and was often dubbed as a "choker" in the playoffs:

Lundqvist
Price
Quick
Rinne
Rask
Luongo
*I think you could argue Crawford here too

2015-2020

Vasilevsiky
Price
Bobrovsky
Rask
Bishop
Rinne
Lundqvist
(More of a case for Fleury here, but still not very convincing).

I know he won the Vezina in 2021, but would you actually consider him to be top 5 tendy in 2021? Over Vasi, Helle, Saros, Shersterkin and others?? nN doubt a great season by him, but I felt like he was given the Vezina as a gift.
 
I know. I'm going to get a lot of flack for this. I think he's a very good goalie and his longevity speaks for itself, but I don't think he was the best-of-the-best for his generation. Hot take: I don't think Marc-Andre Fleury was ever consistently a top 5 goalie in the NHL. I still think being top 10 over stretches is impressive, but I don't understand how some people can justify putting him over Lundqvist or Price. Still a HHOF and a good goalie.

2005-2010
I'd comfortably put these goalies over him:

Brodeur
Luongo
Kiprusoff
Lundqvist
Nabokov
Thomas
Miller

2010-2015:
Statistically, Fleury's worst 5-year stretch. Lost his starting job a couple times and was often dubbed as a "choker" in the playoffs:

Lundqvist
Price
Quick
Rinne
Rask
Luongo
*I think you could argue Crawford here too

2015-2020

Vasilevsiky
Price
Bobrovsky
Rask
Bishop
Rinne
Lundqvist
(More of a case for Fleury here, but still not very convincing).

I know he won the Vezina in 2021, but would you actually consider him to be top 5 tendy in 2021? Over Vasi, Helle, Saros, Shersterkin and others?? nN doubt a great season by him, but I felt like he was given the Vezina as a gift.


Nope. Oiler fan no dog in the fight.

Key pts
3 cup wins
Vezina/Jennings
30+ win seasons 9
25+ win seasons 13

IF he had quit 2 seasons ago or before joining the wild--He goes in the hall on the first ballot. Wild fans may disagree--he stayed to long at the dance and it has hurt his reputation

He can't really hear what you are saying because he’s got two Stanley Cup rings plugging his ears.

He’s probably flipping you off with the third one.
what is his doing with his 3rd?
 
I can't believe Pittsburgh's starter in 2012 is a Hall of Famer. He got pulled for his backup, an aging Vokoun the following year. The Pens were not serious contenders in 2014 and 2015. Then he was hurt for the 2016 run, they win with Murray, a mere prospect at the time, who was better than the actual backup Jeff Zatkoff. 2017 they share the net all season, every time it looks like Murray's got it, he gets hurt, including right before the playoffs. Fleury regains control of the crease and kills it. Murray becomes available late in the 2nd round, and midway through the ECF, they pull Fleury, fair or not for Murray who got the job done the year before. There's no room for Fleury there anymore, he departs via Expansion Draft, Murray officially succeeds him.

If the story ended there, Fleury would not be HOF. It's what he's done since. Big part of Vegas's immediate success, even though by the time they won a Cup, he was gone. Then he ices it with a Vezina, something he never had come close to doing. He's out of Pittsburgh 8 years now and still very good in his role as Minnesota backup.
 
Fleury was drafted 1st overall because of his skills and athleticism. And the Pens would still pick him first in a re-draft because they won with him. He didn't reach his ceiling as the best goalie in the world. You said Carey Price and he's the complete opposite of that robot who is bigger than him. He's a fan favorite because of his personality and maybe that's why you think he's overrated ?
 
I dunno. I never really considered him in the all time category, but he is a beloved player that seems to transcend opposing fanbases just due to his personality. I'd also add he brings alot of flare to the position compared to many of the goalies who seem to play the same way.

But likability and all time status should be seen as two different things.
 
Penguins management underrating Fleury caused them nearly a decade of goaltending issues.
You ain’t wrong.

Not sure what their cap situation was at the time of the expansion draft though, and whether keeping him was tenable or not. Also kind of shitty luck that both Murray and Jarry looked to be more than capable replacements before they completely fell apart.
 
Weird timing for this, I feel like this board generally looks down on Fleury the player while liking Fleury the person. However Fleury the player is having a pretty solid season, especially considering his role and age. 10-4-1 in the backup role, 2.60 GAA and .909 at the age of 40 with scoring the way it is is nothing to scoff at. Definitely much happier with his play this season than last and most of the year before.
 
Nope. Oiler fan no dog in the fight.

Key pts
3 cup wins
Vezina/Jennings
30+ win seasons 9
25+ win seasons 13

IF he had quit 2 seasons ago or before joining the wild--He goes in the hall on the first ballot. Wild fans may disagree--he stayed to long at the dance and it has hurt his reputation


what is his doing with his 3rd?

Also,

2nd regular season wins
T-3rd playoff wins
 
1041 games played in RS 3rd all time, could pass Loungo with 1044 for 2nd soon, games played
means more for a goalie.
 

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