Fleury, the ultimate team player, again teaches us what sports are all about
Marc-Andre Fleury's past graciousness is well-documented, but what he did this spring was instrumental in the Pittsburgh Penguins' second consecutive championship.
The veteran goaltender deserves to be acknowledged for again respectfully ceding the crease to Matt Murray, and for not complaining about reverting to a backup despite playing fairly well in these playoffs.
By now, most are familiar with what happened last season, but for Fleury to continue saying all the right things after what unfolded this time is truly commendable.
Murray was the Penguins' unquestioned starter for the balance of this season after supplanting Fleury as the No. 1 goalie in 2015-16, and the plan was for Murray to carry Pittsburgh in another playoff run, but the rookie's injury in the warmup for the postseason opener thrust Fleury back into the fold.
The 32-year-old went 9-6 with a .924 save percentage in 15 playoff games during this run, but was pulled in favor of Murray in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Final and never saw the net again.
(Photo courtesy: Getty Images)
And yet, just as before, there was no griping, nor any questioning of head coach Mike Sullivan's decision. Just Fleury's typical support of his less experienced teammate.
"Fleury is probably the best team player in all of sports," Penguins general manager Jim Rutherford told NBC Pro Hockey Talk's Mike Halford after Sunday's Stanley Cup-clinching win in Game 6.
"We can debate whoever you want to throw at me, but what he went through last year and stuck with it, as a team guy, then carried us at different times during (this) season, carried us through two rounds of the playoffs, turned it over to (Matt) Murray ... I talked at the start of the season about keeping two goalies, and these guys did exactly what I'd hoped they'd do, and got us the Cup."
As if that weren't enough, Fleury made sure his protege got his hands on the Stanley Cup immediately after he did Sunday night in one of the celebration's most indelible moments.
Watch: Fleury hands Stanley Cup to Murray
Murray got a bit choked up talking about Fleury amid the postgame celebration Sunday night.
"It almost gets me emotional," the 23-year-old told the NHL Network after taking a moment to gather himself. "When he handed me the Cup there, that meant a lot to me. He's been such a mentor for me, last year and this year, so that was huge."
Murray said he's indebted to Fleury for how the older goalie handled their situation once again.
"Having a young guy come in and take his playing time away, who knows how someone will react to something like that, but he welcomed me with open arms and helped me every time I needed help, and he was just huge for me," Murray said. "I owe him a great deal, for sure."
Fleury's acceptance of his fate clearly rubbed off on Murray, but it also undoubtedly set an example for the Penguins' young forwards, Jake Guentzel and Conor Sheary, not to mention young players and fans everywhere.
As his days in Pittsburgh appear numbered, he can take satisfaction in knowing he not only contributed to three Stanley Cup championships, but also repeatedly handled difficult situations with a level of class that the next generation of Penguins greats will no doubt strive to emulate.