Fleury using patient approach to make impact with Hurricanes

Haydn Fleury viewed himself as a big man with good skating ability when he was selected by the Carolina Hurricanes with the seventh pick in the 2014 NHL Draft.
He's worked his way to become something much more as an NHL rookie this season.

"Ever since I got drafted, I think I've kept progressing each year and gotten better at the little things they keep telling me to work on," the 21-year-old defenseman said. "I think when I first got drafted, I was just a big guy that could skate but now I feel I'm more well-rounded. I can defend against good players and play against other team's top players."
Fleury (6-foot-3, 221 pounds) was No. 9 in NHL Central Scouting's final ranking of North American skaters eligible for the 2014 draft. He was projected to be a two-way defenseman with high marks in his acceleration and speed.
"Haydn initially impressed with his skating and his reliable two-way game," Hurricanes director of amateur scouting Tony MacDonald said. "He has very good size and reach and his skating allowed him to quickly retrieve pucks and exercise the option of making the first pass or rushing the puck end-to-end making clean entries into the offensive zone.
"At the time, he was building his overall game under the guidance of a demanding coach (Brent Sutter of Red Deer in the Western Hockey League) who did not tolerate short cuts."
Fleury has earned the trust of Hurricanes coach Bill Peters to the point that he can play in a top-four role.
"Our defense corps is interchangeable, but [Fleury] is a big guy, skates well, has a good stick and has a good first pass," Peters said. "There's more offense in him, but that'll come once he gets more comfortable at the NHL level."

The Hurricanes have taken a patient approach with Fleury, who spent four full seasons in Red Deer, played in the Memorial Cup and represented Canada at the 2016 IIHF World Junior Championship. He also had 26 points (seven goals, 19 assists) and a plus-16 rating in 69 games for Charlotte of the American Hockey League last season.
"I think it's been a long process but I've enjoyed it," Fleury said. "In my last two years of junior hockey, I got to play World Juniors and in the Memorial Cup. I enjoyed the time in Charlotte with a great group of guys and I think I've just kept getting better each year. I hope that continues."
Hurricanes defenseman Justin Faulk said it takes time to become comfortable at the NHL level, but he sees the strides Fleury has made.
"It's a tough league to come into as a defenseman and it's getting harder and harder with how the game is going," Faulk said. "I know it's getting younger, but it's tough and I think [Fleury] is developing pretty well. He's getting good away from the puck which is probably the hardest part to figure out when you first get into the League."
Fleury, the only rookie to play at least 15 games for the Hurricanes this season, has also earned time as a penalty-killer. He is averaging 16:36 of ice time, including 54 seconds per game on the penalty kill, and is fourth on Carolina with 84 blocked shots and seventh with 74 hits.

"I think my season's going well," Fleury said. "It started off really good with getting my feet wet and I kind of hit a little patch there when I got my game back. I went to Charlotte to play one game during the NHL All-Star Game break and felt good about myself there. I think the last month has been good; I'm just trying to make plays.
"It's a different kind of league up here and I think the offense will come. The numbers aren't really there, but I feel more comfortable with the puck and am getting some good chances to score."
Fleury hasn't scored yet but has six assists and 74 shots on goal in 57 NHL games.
"For me, he's right on target (in his development)," Peters said. "I'm not in the business of rushing guys, especially defensemen. I've seen that happen too many times and know how that looks in the end so we've been very patient with him but patient in the right way.
"He's playing in our top four, and when he's moving his feet and active, he's a very good defenseman."
So long as he keeps skating hard and focuses on a sound defensive game, Fleury understands the offense will return. He had 134 points (30 goals, 104 assists) in 259 WHL games.
"Coach Peters tells the defensemen to keep skating, especially with me," Fleury said. "He's always telling me, 'You're a big guy who can skate, so you've got to be able to use those long legs and get them going every night.' I've tried to follow that advice."