Marc-Andre Fleury back on the trade block despite Vezina win
After 17 seasons in the National Hockey League, three Stanley Cups, and a career year at the age of 36, veteran goalie Marc-Andre Fleury was finally crowned the Vezina Trophy winner this week. The league's general managers nominated the goalie of the Vegas Golden Knights, along with Philipp Grubauer of the Colorado Avalanche and Andrei Vasilevskiy of the Tampa Bay Lightning, as finalists for the award. The veteran goaltender, who shared the Jennings Trophy for fewest goals allowed in the regular season with teammate Robin Lehner, concluded the season with a.928 save percentage and 1.98 goals-against average.
But then the week took a turn for the worse. Flower could potentially be put back on the trade board by the Golden Knights, who are rumoured to be using his recent victory as a selling point on the market.
The Golden Knights would gain salary-cap flexibility if Fleury was traded, per to ESPN's Grew Wyshynski. According to Cap Friendly, Vegas has spent $75.4 million on 18 players, with $12 million on goalie. Fleury's annual average worth is $7 million, but Wyshynski argued that with a year left on his contract and a Vezina Trophy title under his belt, he could be simpler to sell.
Even a Vegas insider agreed, given that Lehner is under contract for another four years. He believes it is past time for them to move on from Fleury, who was embroiled in yet another "goalie controversy" in the semi-finals against the Montreal Canadiens, in which Vegas was eliminated.
We're all aware that team owner Bill Foley has declared publicly that he does not want Fleury dealt, and that Flower, who has a 10-team no-trade clause, has expressed his desire to retire in Las Vegas.
But things change, and people's perspectives shift...
| POLL | ||
Should the KNIGHTS keep Fleury or Trade him? | ||
| Keep Him | 121 | 52.6 % |
| Trade Him | 109 | 47.4 % |
| List of polls | ||
