Minnesota Wilds’ Marc-Andre Fleury Joined by Family in an Emotional Moment Before Final Home Game

What’s the best way to cap off a legendary NHL career? For Minnesota Wild goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury, it might just be sharing the ice with his biggest fans. On April 9, at the Xcel Energy Center, Fleury laced up for what could be his final home game start, but he didn’t do it alone. With a career spanning 21 seasons, three Stanley Cups, and a Hall of Fame trajectory, could there be a more perfect send-off for the beloved “Flower”?

In a heart-tugging moment that had fans reaching for tissues, his three kids joined him on the ice, turning a routine pre-game warmup into an unforgettable farewell. A post on ‘X’ captured the sentiment perfectly, with

B/R Open Ice sharing a video captioned, “Marc-Andre Fleury’s kids skated onto the ice and joined their dad for likely the final home game start of his NHL career 🥹.” As the national anthem played, Fleury stood in front of the net, flanked by his daughters Estelle and Scarlette, and his son James, all decked out in miniature No. 29 Wild jerseys and helmets. It wasn’t just a photo op—it was a memory etched in time.

Fleury, now 40, has been a cornerstone of the NHL since his debut with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2003. After stints with the Las Vegas Kings and the Chicago Blackhawks, he landed with the Wild in 2022, bringing his infectious grin and competitive fire to Minnesota. This season, his 21st, marks his swan song—he’s already announced his retirement plans. With 571 wins (second all-time) and over 1,000 games played, his stats speak volumes, but it’s moments like these that define him.

Then

there’s the Ovechkin nod. After the Washington Capitals game against the Minnesota Wild on 28th March 2025, as the Capitals headed off the ice, their captain paused, rallied his teammates, and led them back to center ice to shake Fleury’s hand. It was a final bow to a 20-year rivalry, a mutual tip of the cap between two future Hall of Famers. Ovechkin, 39, admitted earlier that day it was “sad” to lose Fleury as a foe. “It’s almost 20 years that we play against each other,” he said. “Pittsburgh, Vegas, it’s been an honor to play against him.” That’s high praise, even though Fleury’s Penguins thwarted Ovechkin’s Caps in three playoff series (2009, 2016, 2017), winning Cups each time. Ovechkin got his revenge in 2018, beating Fleury’s Golden Knights for Washington’s first title—but the respect? It’s clearly mutual.