Marc-Andre Fleury
Marc-Andre Fleury was drafted first overall by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft. He was only the third goalie to be chosen first overall in the NHL Entry draft. Fleury made his debut in 2003-2004 and played 21 games. He was rotated regularly and split the season with fellow netminders Jean-Sebastien Aubin and Sebastien Caron. Fleury did not perform overly well during that season and was subject to facing lots of shots thanks to the Penguins' poor defensive efforts.
During the labour dispute, Fleury played for the Penguins' American Hockey League affiliate, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, where he posted a 26-19-4 record with a GAA of 2.52 and a save percentage of .901. In 2005-2006, Fleury was periodically sent back down to the AHL affiliate, where he had a solid performance. On November 28, he was called up to play in Pittsburgh for the rest of the season. While his team fared poorly throughout the year, Fleury's statistics remained relatively good. The Penguins finished last in the Eastern Conference and with the worst defense, allowing 316 goals. Fleury's stats, however, held their own with a save percentage of .898.
2006-2007 was a very different season for Fleury and his team. With a team filled with young stars and veteran presence, the Penguins delivered the goods. Fleury won 40 games, joining Tom Barasso as the only Penguin goalie to do so in a regular season. He finished 2006-2007 with a .906 save percentage and a 2.83 GAA. Fleury did not perform too well in the playoffs, however, and will need more experience to compete at high levels.
Fleury is a solid goalie that needs to be the franchise player in Pittsburgh. He has sound positioning and is quick at moving from one side to the other in his net. Fleury will continue to face a lot of shots in Pittsburgh and will need to show that he can carry the franchise on his shoulders defensively.
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