Welcome to another edition of NHL Notebook, where we highlight newsworthy items around the league! There’s no need for further preamble, so we’ll get right into it:
Marc-Andre-Fleury posts shutout in Montreal finale
Marc-Andre Fleury has been one of the defining goaltenders of his generation, and he’s certainly making the most of his farewell tour. Fleury said he’d retire at the end of this season, and in his final game at the Bell Centre, the 40-year-old posted a 19-save shutout, commanding the Minnesota Wild to a 4-0 victory over the Montreal Canadiens.
Fleury received a two-minute standing ovation from the Canadiens’ crowd late in the third period, an unusual occurrence for a visiting player.
“I don’t think (the Canadiens have) done that before much,” Fleury said. “Very humbling for me that they stayed out. That’s why it’s such an honour. To have the respect of people here, I’m from here,” he added. “It’s really something to have the respect from your team, your family, from players on the other team and hockey fans, especially in Quebec.”
At the end of the game, the entire Canadiens team came out to congratulate Fleury in a handshake line, befitting of a playoff series, rather than a January regular season game.
The entire Habs team stayed on the ice to congratulate Marc-Andre Fleury after his final game in Montreal ❤️
He becomes the first goalie in NHL history to record a shutout as a teenager and at 40 years or older. pic.twitter.com/5o4G7JTkzP
— ESPN (@espn) January 31, 2025
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“I remember my parents used to come to games when I was with the Penguins and they’d get in fights, because Canadiens fans yelled at me and booed me,” Fleury said.
“But tonight my family is here, my kids are here, my wife. And they all saw the love from the people here. That made it really special.”
Flames acquire Joel Farabee, Morgan Frost from Flyers in exchange for Andrei Kuzmenko, Jakob Pelletier, two draft picks
The Calgary Flames acquired Joel Farabee and Morgan Frost from the Philadelphia Flyers in exchange for Andrei Kuzmenko, Jakob Pelletier, a 2025 second-round pick and a 2028 seventh-round pick.
Kuzmenko is perhaps the most intriguing player in this deal, as he’s two seasons removed from a 39-goal campaign with the Vancouver Canucks. His offensive production has completely tailed off during the last two seasons, with four goals and 15 points in 37 games with the Flames this year. The change of scenery could benefit the offensive-minded winger and he could be paired with former teammate Matvei Michkov.
Pelletier has produced marginal returns at the NHL level, as the Flames’ 2019 first-round pick recorded four goals and 11 points in 24 games this season. It’s unclear how Flyers head coach John Tortorella will want to use his new acquisitions, but Kuzmenko’s xGA/60 highlights that he’s a better defensive player than his reputation suggests.
Andrei Kuzmenko and Matvei Michkov played with St. Petersburg together https://t.co/3k7r1cK3GX
— Jeff Marek (@JeffMarek) January 31, 2025
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Frost is the best player in this deal, with 11 goals and 25 points in 49 games this season. He’s provided excellent defensive returns despite his plus-minus, and Philadelphia controlled just under 55 percent of the expected goals when he was on the ice at 5-on-5 via Natural Stat Trick. The 25-year-old fits the Flames’ timeline and could become a core piece of the lineup.
Farabee recorded eight goals and 19 points in 49 games with the Flyers this season. He’s under contract through the 2027-28 season with a $5 million cap hit per season. It’s been an underwhelming season to date, but he’s coming off a 22-goal season last year, he’s still 24 years old and like Frost, he fits the Flames’ timeline with some cost certainty added into the mix.
From our vantage point, it looks like the Flames won this trade handily, but of course, only time will tell!