The Pittsburgh Penguins had one final task to complete Thursday to conclude their championship season: locker clean out.
Along with the housekeeping, several Penguins players met with the media for their season-ending interviews, and appropriately, netminder Marc-Andre Fleury was the center of attention, faced with questions on his imminent departure from the only NHL club he's ever known.
"It's been such a long time," said an emotional Fleury, according to Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. "I've met a lot of good people. It feels like home to me."
Fleury was drafted first overall by the Penguins in 2003, and recently revealed he waived his no-movement clause in February, a decision he declared was the "right thing to help the team."
Fleury on what he would miss the most about Pittsburgh: "Everything." #Pens
— Wes Crosby (@OtherNHLCrosby) June 15, 2017
The emergence of goaltender Matt Murray has Fleury's days in the Steel City numbered, with the rookie occupying the goal for each of Pittsburgh's back-to-back Stanley Cups.
Still, Fleury was nothing but gracious throughout his impending exit. He never griped about his backup role, and even handed Murray the Stanley Cup in celebration, symbolizing a passing of the torch in Pittsburgh's crease.
"Matt's the guy here. He will be for many years," Fleury said.
Fleury's future destination, at this point, remains unclear. He's eligible to be selected by the Vegas Golden Knights in the upcoming expansion draft, or can be traded to one of 18 teams on his approval list.
