Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Marc Andre Fleury is making a strong case for himself and is undoubtedly creating sleepless nights for Team Canada executive director Steve Yzerman as the time to select members of Canada’s 2010 Olympic ice hockey team draws near.
Hockey analysts Pierre McGuire put together a preview of who could potentially make Team Canada, and represent Canada at the 2010 Vancouver Olympic Games back in February. He might want to re-think his astute selections.
Vancouver 2010 Team Canada Goalies
His top two goaltenders were obvious choices, Roberto Luongo of the Vancouver Canucks and Martin Brodeur of the New Jersey Devils. The way it stands right now, you cannot argue those choices as Brodeur, although maybe not as sharp as he was during the gold medal winning 2002 team at the Salt Lake City Olympics, is still very solid and a proven winner. Luongo on the other hand appears ready to step into the spotlight as Canada’s goaltender of the present and is arguably the best goalie in the NHL today.
McGuire’s third pick was Montreal Canadiens goalie Carey Price. Price has done nothing to prove his worth since bowing out to the Philadelphia Flyers in round two of the 2008 Stanley Cup Playoffs, and if he doesn’t rediscover his game soon, could wind up in the same class of briefly-great-but-big-busts-in-the-end goalies as Patrick Lalime, Roman Turek and Roman Cechmanek.
Enter Marc Andre Fleury.
Originally drafted 1st overall by the Pittsburgh Penguin in the 2003 NHL entry draft, Fleury earned his starting role over a period of 3 years and has since emerged as on of the league’s elite backstops.
Marc Andre Fleury Records
Fleury had 40 wins in 2006-2007 and had a very impressive 14 wins in the playoffs as he led the Penguins to the Stanley Cup Final in 2007-2008 before losing to the Detroit Red Wings in 6 games. In the 2008-2009 season, Pittsburgh suffered a slow start but on the back of Marc Andre Fleury went 21-6-4 in the final 3 months of the regular season to solidify a playoff berth.
Fleury’s stock has been on the rise for 3 consecutive seasons, and will only grow higher with time and experience. If Fleury plays half as well as he can to start the 2009-2010 season, Steve Yzerman and company would be severely mistaken to not include him on their Olympic roster. The 24-year old Fleury has not only earned it, but he deserves it.
