Marc-André Fleury is playing his best hockey ever.

[HamiltonNHL]

Should have picked him in my Pool !

 

[ObsessedCreative*]

MAF plays amazing in 08 and wins a cup in 09 using Terrien's system.

Bylsma comes along and MAFs play and team structure all goes to hell when he installs his "brilliant system".

Bylsma is taken out behind the barn FINALLY after way too many chance.

MAF returns to playing some amazing net.

The things that make you go HMMMMMMMM

 

[DearDiary]

MAF plays amazing in 08 and wins a cup in 09 using Terrien's system.

Bylsma comes along and MAFs play and team structure all goes to hell when he installs his "brilliant system".

Bylsma is taken out behind the barn FINALLY after way too many chance.

MAF returns to playing some amazing net.

The things that make you go HMMMMMMMM

Bylsma had nothing to do with Fluery's poor play. Dan was respected by his players, they played and worked hard for him. The problem was the way Fluery's development was handled. Too much pressure to make him great, but not enough attention to moving at a pace Fluery was comfortable with. Never paying enough attention to basics. I see that having a new goaltender coach is helping his play, but you can't blame Dan for a players development he had no hand in

 

[Kipper933]

He's now on pace for a ~16 shutout season, which would be the highest total since the 04/05 lockout. And highest since Brodeur's 12 in 06/07.

 

[Big McLargehuge]

His 6th shutout of the year tonight sets a career season high...on December 18th

He was always giving up those weird goals when on the verge of a shutout, those have been absent so far.

 

[gordie]

MAF plays amazing in 08 and wins a cup in 09 using Terrien's system.

Bylsma comes along and MAFs play and team structure all goes to hell when he installs his "brilliant system".

Bylsma is taken out behind the barn FINALLY after way too many chance.

MAF returns to playing some amazing net.

The things that make you go HMMMMMMMM

I said there was a real possibility that Bylsma was the root of his problem and I got that Fleury was as much at fault as "Disco Dan" was. Having the right Head Coach and System is important.

 

[H382]

He's now on pace for a ~16 shutout season, which would be the highest total since the 04/05 lockout. And highest since Brodeur's 12 in 06/07.

as much as i'd love to see it, i can't see him getting 16... i say he ends up with about 10.

 

[66-30-33]

Rather he play this way in the playoffs.

 

[tom_servo]

We all know about the playoffs. Just appreciate it for what it is.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

We all know about the playoffs. Just appreciate it for what it is.

Yeah it's not like he's played well back to back in the playoffs before, ever.

 

[vippe]

Good for him. He's had his ups and downs in his career for sure, and mostly down since their cup days. I am sure this feels good =)

 

[Will Hunting]

Nah, it´s nothing. He can have 50 more shutouts in this regular season and people will still bash him (Until he shows them that this Fleury is really different and becomes a God when he keeps his excellent play in the playoffs). Anyway, he´s just making it look so easy now.

Btw if he plays like this in the POs, Penguins will be extrmely hard to beat.

 

[Mister Hockey]

Bylsma had nothing to do with Fluery's poor play. Dan was respected by his players, they played and worked hard for him. The problem was the way Fluery's development was handled. Too much pressure to make him great, but not enough attention to moving at a pace Fluery was comfortable with. Never paying enough attention to basics. I see that having a new goaltender coach is helping his play, but you can't blame Dan for a players development he had no hand in

Disco Dan's terrible system, lack of adjustments and failure to match lines, constantly left MAF hung out to dry.

 

[Syrinx]

Until he is able to do it in the playoffs it doesn't really matter.

I think this is one of the most ridiculous points made against him. He has struggled some years but had been left hanging out to dry by Bylsma's system for many years.

The point is that he made the saves he needed to in 2009 to win the cup.

Why is this standard not held against Lunqvist, Luongo, Price, etc. who have never won the cup? They have never made the stops they needed to for their teams to win the cup. Fleury has.

 

[tony d]

I agree. he's playing great this season. Let's see though if he can carry this regular season success over to the playoffs.

 

[Penguinator]

I think this is one of the most ridiculous points made against him. He has struggled some years but had been left hanging out to dry by Bylsma's system for many years.

The point is that he made the saves he needed to in 2009 to win the cup.

Why is this standard not held against Lunqvist, Luongo, Price, etc. who have never won the cup? They have never made the stops they needed to for their teams to win the cup. Fleury has.

This. If you check other goalers playoff series stats you would find more fails in most of them.

Also... Compare Fleury's overall playoffs record with them (Price, to name one).

Yep.

 

[mikethelegacy]

Bylsma had nothing to do with Fluery's poor play. Dan was respected by his players, they played and worked hard for him. The problem was the way Fluery's development was handled. Too much pressure to make him great, but not enough attention to moving at a pace Fluery was comfortable with. Never paying enough attention to basics. I see that having a new goaltender coach is helping his play, but you can't blame Dan for a players development he had no hand in

It's amazing to me that you believe that the way a HC coaches his team in front of the goalie won't have any effect on the goalie's performance.

Dan preached offense first, defense second. Johnston pressures his team to play solid defense and the results are obvious. Marc has always been decent at taking first chances away, the team is just doing an amazing job this year of keeping those first chances the ONLY chances. His rebound control is way better this year as well.

It wasn't ALL DB's fault -- the new GT coach really is a god-send for his game -- but in almost every playoff collapse, besides the CBJ year, Fleury's play wasn't the worst part of our game.

 

[Le Magnifique 66]

Flower has been great this year, a lot more consistent on a game to game basis. Better positioning and not giving up any weak goals like in past years. Anyways, at the end of the day, it's in the playoffs that Flower will have to step it up

 

[Jacoby4HOF66]

Flower has been great this year, a lot more consistent on a game to game basis. Better positioning and not giving up any weak goals like in past years. Anyways, at the end of the day, it's in the playoffs that Flower will have to step it up

+1

Do it in the playoffs, when it counts.

 

[PensBandwagonerNo272*]

**** goalie **** team overrated fairweather fans crosby sucks crosby sucks

 

[Yog S'loth]

He's still my pick for the Vezina. He's holding that team together. Good for him.

 

[metalan2]

He's still my pick for the Vezina. He's holding that team together. Good for him.

He hasn't had to stand on his head at all. Pens are rolling and would be with Greiss in net as well.


Pens defense is insulating him very well and he has not been swimming as much as he was in the past. Just playing well positionally, not trying to do too much. Which is good....for now.

In big games vs big rivals he still folds most of the time this year. This is what I expect in the playoffs still.

 

[Vasilevskiy]

I hate him but he's easily a vezina finalist right now and fighting it out with Rinne

 

[The Cheat]

So we only talk about players when they do well in the playoffs? Fleury is carrying this team with the entire Crosby line out as well as other key players. He deserves some recognition. You don't have to give it to him but to hate on him is pretty petty.

As for the playoffs, goal tending was never the main reason why we were eliminated from the playoffs since MAF has been on this team. Post your gifs of some softies, but it's the offense that doesn't show up in elimination games.

Oh come on, the term "Fleury just Fleuried" is a directy hand-me-down of him letting in stupid goals in the playoffs.

He's had some impressive games in the post, but also, some absolute disasters too

 

[Muscles4Malkin]

If he can keep under 2.10 GAA, over 92.8 SVS% and more than 10 SO, I'll take my hat off.