Retired goalie Marc-André Fleury returning to Penguins on PTO for ceremonial preseason game

Marc-André Fleury is coming back to where it all began — if only for one night. The Pittsburgh Penguins announced that the three-time Stanley Cup champion has signed a professional tryout contract and will suit up in the team’s Sept. 27 preseason game against the Columbus Blue Jackets at PPG Paints Arena. Fleury, 40, will also take part in the team’s practice the day before.

“The entire Penguins organization is honored to welcome Marc-Andre Fleury back to the ice in Pittsburgh,” Penguins GM Kyle Dubas said in a statement. “This past year, everyone witnessed how beloved and respected Marc is in the game of hockey, but the adoration goes beyond his accolades and career. Marc means so much to our team, our fans and the City of Pittsburgh because of the person he is and the example he set. The Penguins feel he and his family are most-deserving of this opportunity to celebrate this full-circle moment back where it all started in front of the black and gold faithful.”

Fleury retired this past spring after the 2024-25 season following a 22-year NHL career that spanned four franchises, but his legacy remains firmly tied to Pittsburgh. Drafted No. 1 by the Penguins in 2003, the Sorel, Quebec, native spent his first 13 seasons with the club, backstopping championship runs in 2009, 2016 and 2017.

By the time he departed to the Vegas Golden Knights in the 2017 expansion draft, Fleury had set nearly every major goaltending mark in team history, including most games played (691), wins (375) and shutouts (44). League-wide, his 575 career victories rank second all-time, trailing only Martin Brodeur. He also captured the 2021 Vezina Trophy with Vegas, further cementing his Hall of Fame credentials.

Fleury went on to play with the Chicago Blackhawks and Minnesota Wild. Along the way, he appeared in 1,051 regular-season games, posting 76 shutouts and recording 15 seasons with at least 20 wins.

Though the tryout is ceremonial rather than a comeback, the night will give Penguins fans one last chance to salute one of the greatest players in franchise history — and one of the most enduring goaltenders the NHL has ever seen.

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