Marc-André Fleury has been a winner throughout his entire NHL career, helping lead the Pittsburgh Penguins to three Stanley Cups and breaking countless records along the way. That’s why it didn’t feel right for his journey to end after a dramatic playoff elimination—one he mostly witnessed from the Minnesota Wild’s bench. Shortly after sitting with the sting of defeat and the uncertainty of looming retirement, Fleury made a stunning decision: his story with Sidney Crosby isn’t over just yet—it’s about to write its final chapter.
Crosby’s 2024-25 NHL season wasn’t any better than Fleury’s. Though he put on impressive individual statlines, collectively it was nothing short of deflating, as the Penguins missed the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the third straight season. However, Crosby isn’t done competing just yet.
Like the all-time greats in sports history, Sidney Crosby still hasn’t had his fill of winning. At 37 years old, he remains hungry for silverware and medals—especially when it means representing his country. As a result, Hockey Canada has announced that Crosby will join the roster for the 2025 IIHF World Championship in Sweden and Denmark.
Shortly after the news broke, fellow Nova Scotian neighbor, Nathan MacKinnon, committed to joining ‘Sid the Kid’ in his pursuit of international glory. And the roster additions didn’t stop there—Marc-André Fleury has also joined Canada’s squad, marking his final competition before officially hanging up the pads.
Sidney Crosby #87 of Canada poses for his portrait during media day ahead of the 2025 NHL 4 Nations Face-Off at the Bell Centre on February 11, 2025 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
One last shot at glory for Fleury. One final dance with Crosby. And remarkably, his first-ever appearance at the World Championship—hoping to bring home gold for Canada for the first time since the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver.
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“Yeah, I’ll go [to the 2025 IIHF World Championship], too,” Fleury revealed during his end-of-season press conference. “I don’t know if I was supposed to say it or not, but it’s too late now. I’m excited to go, I’ve never played in a World Championship. And I haven’t played with Sid in a while, so I think it will be fun to go some spend time together and yell at him in practice a bit.“
What’s next after the euro-trip?
Fleury announced his retirement after the 2024-25 NHL season, which made the Wild’s elimination against the Vegas Golden Knights, where Fleury previously played, all the more heartwrenching for fans in the Land of 10,000 Lakes.
It may not hit Fleury just yet, as he is now embarking in the trip to Sweden and Denmark with Canada Men’s National Team, but he will feel the impact of retirement afterwards. However, the Wild’s locker room might have come up with a solution to the big void left behind by Fleury’s departure.
Marc-Andre Fleury #29 of the Pittsburgh Penguins rides in the Victory Parade and Rally on June 14, 2017 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
The EBUG solution
According to reports from Michael Russo, the players are trying to convince Marc-Andre Fleury to be Minnesota‘s emergency backup goalie (EBUG) during the 2025-26 NHL season.
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It might present a potential loophole, but it could also become a double-edged sword if the visiting team at Xcel Energy Center loses both goaltenders and Fleury is called upon to stop shots from his former teammates. Still, the odds of that scenario are slim—and the excitement of keeping Fleury connected to the organization far outweighs the risk.
