The Carolina Hurricanes have been patient with Fleury, a defenseman who was the No. 7 pick in the 2014 NHL Draft. The native of Carlyle, Saskatchewan, spent two more seasons in junior hockey with Red Deer of the Western Hockey League after being selected by Carolina, finishing his final season with 41 points (12 goals, 29 assists) in 56 games and playing for Canada at the IIHF World Junior Championship.
Fleury, who signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Hurricanes on Aug. 8, 2014, spent his first full pro season with Charlotte of the American Hockey League in 2016-17, finishing with 26 points (seven goals, 19 assists) and leading the team with a plus-16 rating.
That earned Fleury the chance to make the Hurricanes at training camp in the fall of 2017, and he earned a spot with a solid showing. The 6-foot-3, 221-pound defenseman's first NHL points came when he had two assists against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Oct. 26, 2017, and his finished the season with eight assists in 67 games. As he's earned more time, he's shown the skating ability and hockey IQ that attracted the Hurricanes.
Fleury figures to grow into a top-four defenseman who can shut down opponents and contribute offensively.
