We'll see the New York Rangers and the Minnesota Wild clash in a critical playoff game at the Garden tonight. New York will be looking for a way to get back in the win column while the Wild look to retake that second wild-card spot out west with all the key injuries they have sustained. Both teams started the season well but are in danger in their respective playoff situations. However, tonight, that all takes a back seat.
Tonight marks the last time the Minnesota Wild will play the Rangers this season, so it will be the last time the New York Rangers will see future Hockey Hall of Fame goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury. Fleury has been one of the best goaltenders in the National Hockey League for most of his career, but he (like Sam Rosen) is enjoying a final league tour before he walks away after his team's season.
Fleury is a three-time Stanley Cup champion and former Vezina winner, and he was synonymous as the backstop of that Pittsburgh Penguins team, which we all hated after they drafted him first overall back in 2003. Fleury battled Henrik Lundqvist for many seasons, and the two would fight for honors for most of their careers together in the Eastern Conference. Fleury would eventually go to Vegas, where he continued to shine. After being traded to Chicago, he ended up in Minnesota and will leave hockey at the end of this season.
Legend recognize legend 🤝
— ESPN (@espn) March 28, 2025
Alex Ovechkin brought the Capitals back onto the ice to shake hands with Marc-André Fleury in their last matchup 👏💐 pic.twitter.com/UMnhZ2pptM
When the Capitals played the Wild in Minnesota, Alex Ovechkin pulled his Capitals teammates out of the tunnel to shake the hand of the goaltending legend. With the Rangers understanding the pain of a legendary goaltender retiring, we should not be surprised if the Rangers do something similar and honor the departing netminder. He has been a long-time adversary of the Rangers, and the class of an organization like this should shine through.