Fleury ‘honored’ by hero's welcome at Kraft Hockeyville

SAINT-BONIFACE, Quebec -- Marc-Andre Fleury was getting mobbed by little kids, young adults and senior citizens attempting to make his way out of the Kraft Hockeyville community celebration outside Arena de Saint-Boniface on Sunday. He had a flight out of Montreal to catch on a tight schedule, the allotted time of one hour and 45 minutes for a meet-and-greet not nearly enough for him to shake every hand, pose for every photo and sign every autograph for those in a line about five times longer than the one waiting for an image capture with the Stanley Cup.

He still made extra time to say hello, even with a security escort, and was sheepish over his popularity in the province of Quebec and nearly one hour from his native Sorel. 

"Oh, really?" Fleury wondered. "Pretty cool. A lot of kids. That's awesome, awesome to be back in Saint-Boniface. I haven't been here in a while. Good to be back. Good to see the kids, the people. Honored."

The hero's welcome was a prelude to the Ottawa Senators against the Montreal Canadiens in a preseason game at Colisee Videotron in Trois-Rivieres on Monday (7 p.m. ET; TVAS, SN1, NHLN) that will conclude what is recognized as the 19th Hockeyville in Canada. The parting gift to Saint-Boniface will be two Atlantic Division rivals each projected to contend for the Stanley Cup Playoffs skating on a sheet of ice 20 minutes from the heartbeat of the community.

And for many, the first and potentially only time to see the NHL this close. 

"Good for the people of Saint-Boniface to attend and Trois-Rivieres as well," Fleury said. "It's so cool to see a live NHL hockey game in those small rinks, and I'm sure the players like it too, so it'll be fun."

The intimate surroundings aren't lost on Fleury, a likely Hockey Hall of Fame goalie whose NHL career ended after 21 seasons when the Minnesota Wild lost 3-2 to the Vegas Golden Knights in Game 6 of the 2025 Western Conference First Round. He joined Canada for the 2025 IIHF World Championship and signed a professional tryout contract with the Pittsburgh Penguins on Sept. 12, setting up an emotional return to where he won the Stanley Cup three times and a ceremonial farewell when he played a preseason game against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Sept. 27.

His hockey roots remain strong near Trois-Rivieres, where he lived with his godparents, Uncle Guy Joyal and Aunt Manon Cardin, the sister of his mother, France, while playing youth hockey 10 minutes away in Longueuil. Aunt Manon and Uncle Guy followed him everywhere he went. The one who became known as "Flower" began to blossom under intimate surroundings.

"It was fun to see him play because he enjoyed it very much," Guy said. "I think that his pleasure and his abilities was good elements to (get to the NHL)."

What followed Fleury was four seasons for Cape Breton in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, two silver medals with Canada at the IIHF World Junior Championship (2003, '04), those Stanley Cup titles in 2009, '16 and '17, and his No. 29 retired by Cape Breton on Jan. 25, 2008. The No. 1 pick in the 2003 NHL Draft is second in NHL history in wins (575), games played (1,051) and time on ice (60,669:03) behind Martin Brodeur, and third in saves (27,188) trailing Brodeur (28,928) and Roberto Luongo (28,409).

Manon and Guy were in Nashville when Fleury became the third goalie to be taken No. 1 in the NHL Draft, joining Michel Plasse (Canadiens, 1968) and Rick DiPietro (New York Islanders, 2000). Every instinct they had about his prospects as a hockey player were validated inside what today is Bridgestone Arena.

"It was fabulous, marvelous," Guy said. "We were thinking that he will be picked third or fourth and at the last (moment), No. 1. We enjoyed it, all the members of the family."

More accolades were added to Fleury's legend twice in the past month. He was unanimously inducted into the Penguins Hall of Fame on Aug. 20, joining Larry Murphy, Jim Rutherford and Jack McGregor, the Class of 2026 to be honored before Pittsburgh plays Ottawa at PPG Paints Arena on Nov. 14. He then entered the QMJHL Hall of Fame on Sept. 17.

On Sunday, he was at Hockeyville giving back, part of a stretch in his life he could only call surreal.

"Obviously very honored," Fleury said. "It's not something you think about much before you play, but great honor."

Getting escorted to his car for the nearly two-hour trip, Fleury still had time for last-minute photos, and the work will resume as an ambassador for Taber, Alberta, next fall to commemorate the 20th anniversary of Hockeyville. Two hours before the party, local youth players took part in an NHL Players' Association Goals & Dreams clinic. Leading team and individual instruction was Greg Schell, a youth and amateur hockey development coach with the Toronto Maple Leafs.

The kids then got their time with the Cup. Schell spoke of how it all starts with a dream. Fleury growing from QMHL legend into Stanley Cup champion has inspired many. Those present Sunday learned his parents, godparents and hockey raised him right.

"It's Marc-Andre Fleury," Schell said. "Like, come on! It doesn't get any better than that. It's incredible."