Tim Benz: A return of Marc-Andre Fleury to Penguins makes sense beyond sentiment

The Vegas Golden Knights’ trade of former Penguins goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury was a stunner to many in hockey circles on Tuesday.

Not so much in the sense that Vegas shipped away the NHL’s reigning Vezina Trophy winner. After all, they had a Goalie-1 and Goalie-1A situation with Fleury and Robin Lehner.

Plus, Fleury has only one year remaining on a $7 million contract, while Lehner is locked up on a $5 million deal through 2025.

But how the trade happened — and who acquired him on the other end — is a head-scratcher

The Chicago Blackhawks, who missed the playoffs entirely in 2021, hardly seem to be “just a veteran goalie away” from contending for a Stanley Cup. Yet they picked up Fleury in exchange for “prospect” Mikael Hakkarainen.

He’s a 6-foot, 23-year-old center with no NHL experience. He has all of 14 games with the AHL’s Rockford IceHogs under his belt. He had no points in that stretch. He hasn’t scored a goal since the 2019-20 season with the Indy Fuel of the ECHL.

Essentially, Vegas gave Fleury to the Blackhawks for free, just to open some salary cap space and gain clarity as to who will be the top starter in 2021-22. Some are questioning if Fleury will even report to Chicago. In fact, many think the Blackhawks just acquired Fleury to spin him for more assets down the road, if they retain a portion of his salary.

That’s where the Penguins could come into play. But we’ll get back to that later.

As recently as last Friday’s “Mark Madden Show” on 105.9 The X, Fleury told Madden he enjoyed living in Vegas and expressed no desire to leave.

However, Fleury apparently found out he was traded via Twitter. Not from the team’s ownership and front office first.

A source close to Marc-Andre Fleury says that the trade is done, and that the Vezina Trophy winner found out through Twitter. #VegasBorn

— Jesse Granger (@JesseGranger_) July 27, 2021

That’s hard to fathom given the fact that Golden Knights owner Bill Foley was renowned to be a huge fan of Fleury’s and is even believed to have interceded on a deal that may have sent The Flower back to Pittsburgh last year.

This time around, Foley admits to having signed off on the trade, yet hardly seems thrilled about it.

Golden Knights owner Bill Foley on the Marc-Andre Fleury trade: "I'm disappointed that this was the outcome. I really feel terrible about it. Unfortunately, that's reality."

He added he "finally capitulated" to trading Fleury. "I said, 'OK, I understand. I get it.' " #VegasBorn

— David Schoen (@DavidSchoenLVRJ) July 27, 2021

Fleury’s agent Alan Walsh said on Twitter that “Marc-Andre will be taking time to discuss his situation with his family and seriously evaluate his hockey future at this time.”

He also posted this statement from Fleury to Vegas fans.

Statement from Marc-Andre Fleury: pic.twitter.com/qatwG1FYFw

— Allan Walsh (@walsha) July 28, 2021

Fans and many within the hockey world reacted with disgust over how the trade was cultivated, and how Fleury was informed of the deal.

Just chiming in on the Fleury trade…if it’s so, it just isn’t right that he wouldn’t have had advance notice before this hit social media…he deserves better than this

— Ray Ferraro (@rayferrarotsn) July 27, 2021

Golden Knights didn't even let MAF keep his stapler. #OfficeSpace #Fleury pic.twitter.com/ohdDBnuliR

— Benstonium (@Benstonium) July 28, 2021

How Vegas just did Fleury pic.twitter.com/LUysIjs46e

— Spittin' Chiclets (@spittinchiclets) July 27, 2021

Hard to think of an NHL player more universally beloved yet more repeatedly disrespected than Marc-Andre Fleury. Inversely proportional

— Matt Larkin (@THNMattLarkin) July 27, 2021

Imagine being the 3rd winningest goaltender of all time in the @nhl, becoming the face of a brand new franchise in Las Vegas & against all odds, leading them to the finals in the 1st season, followed by deep playoff runs and finding out you got traded on TWITTER. #Fleury

— Steve Byrne (@stevebyrnelive) July 27, 2021

Fleury found out he was traded on twitter!!! Com’on man! pic.twitter.com/NqNdhp4m2F

— Bob Pompeani (@KDPomp) July 27, 2021

The sentiment extends to Fleury’s former Pittsburgh teammates, too.

Marc-Andre Fleury is the best goalie/teammate I have ever played with. A lot of people would agree. Treats everyone like gold. It’s crazy how he gets treated in the hockey world. #1stballlot

— Beau Bennett (@BeauBennett19) July 27, 2021

Now, back to that question of whether the Penguins should be interested in bringing Fleury back to Pittsburgh.

Of course, they should. It’s too obvious to ignore as a fit.

Forget the sentimental, prodigal-goalie skating back to his home arena angle. Even if Fleury had zero connection to the city, the Penguins need a veteran who can step in and immediately replace Tristan Jarry as the top starting option in net.

Well, the Vezina Trophy winner just became available. Fleury’s name could be John Doe (sorry, Jean-Andre Doe) and this would make perfect sense.

If the Blackhawks are willing to retain a chunk of Fleury’s $7 million salary, the Penguins should inquire about exactly how much and what it would take for the Blackhawks to keep as much as possible. After all, the Penguins just shed $6.44 million by shipping Jared McCann to Toronto and by losing Brandon Tanev in the expansion draft.

Part of the reason for doing so, logically, would be to spend a hunk of that money on goaltending. Darcy Kuemper is the name everyone is talking about these days. He carries a $4.5 million price tag in a trade from the Arizona Coyotes.

What would be a better fit for the Penguins? One year of Kuemper at $4.5 million? Or one year of Fleury at, say, $5 million?

I’ll take the latter. Even if that costs a better player or prospect going out the door to Chicago than what it would take to get Kuemper.

A week ago, any thoughts of Fleury coming to Pittsburgh to solve their goaltending woes seemed unlikely. Now it’s possible, even if it is by way of the Vegas Golden Knights acting like a bunch of jerks.