If you’ve missed what went down on Twitter Saturday night, let me catch you up.
Marc-Andre Fleury‘s agent, Allen Walsh, posted a since-deleted wild photoshop on Twitter, seen above, insinuating that the Vegas Golden Knights’ head coach Pete DeBoer stabbed Fleury in the back.
Marc-Andre Fleury‘s agent, Allen Walsh, posted a since-deleted wild photoshop on Twitter, seen above, insinuating that the Vegas Golden Knights’ head coach Pete DeBoer stabbed Fleury in the back.
It’s a presumed shot at the Knights and DeBoer who have been riding a hot hand in Robin Lehner, who has come in and been a star for the team.
Walsh is known for not shying away from public comments and this is just another showing of it.
And while Fleury tried to deflect in a Sunday presser it begs the question: would Vegas ever trade Fleury?
What happens if they decide they want Lehner over Fleury in the future? Fleury is one year into a three-year deal paying him $7-million a year. He’s also got a 10-team no trade list giving him some control over his future.
If they have any desire to keep Lehner, it’s highly unlikely they would be able to afford Fleury, too.
At 35 years old, Fleury is coming off one of his worst statistical seasons in the league posting a .905 save percentage, a 2.77 GAA, a -6.5 GSAA to go along with a 27-16-5 record.
While a down year, it’s still better than what Mike Smith offered up this past season in those same categories. A trade for Fleury would bring an Olympic champion and a three-time Stanley cup winner.
The truth of the matter is money wise it probably wouldn’t work alongside Mikko Koskinen, who is making $4.5-million a year for as long as Fleury.
Edmonton could find some wriggle room to make it work, but what would the cost of acquisition even be? I’d reckon probably more rich than what the Oilers would be willing to spend on a 35-year-old.
There’s other, younger goaltender the Oilers could acquire for what I would imagine to be a similar cost: guys like Matt Murray, or Tristan Jarry, or maybe even Jordan Binnington.
While there’s intangibles that Fleury would undoubtably bring over those three, Edmonton would be able to save some money and use their assets more wisely on any of the three aforementioned netminders.
On Twitter: @zjlaing
