The 2022 NHL trade deadline is closing in and Monday saw a huge blockbuster deal go down before noon.
The Minnesota Wild have acquired goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury from the Chicago Blackhawks in what is, so far, the biggest deal of the day. Fleury was our highest-ranked goaltender on our trade target list headed into the deadline and for good reason, the 37-year-old is less than a year removed from a Vezina Trophy winning season and is an absolute pro to boot.
We’re still a handful of hours away from the deadline, so let’s break down the Fleury to Minnesota trade and hand out some grades to determine who won this blockbuster deal!
The details
Here are the details of the trade:
- The Wild get: Marc-Andre Fleury (50 percent salary retained)
- The Blackhawks get: A conditional first-round pick
That’s it! Though not the beefiest of trades out there, the name-value alone Fleury commands is what makes this a big deal in the hockey world.
Chicago Blackhawks
Blackhawks grade: A+
Kyle Davidson’s done a real bang-up job as the newest general manager of the Blackhawks. After getting two first-rounders out of the Tampa Bay Lightning earlier in the week, the Blackhawks were able to snag a conditional first-round pick out of Minnesota. The conditions on the pick are also quite attainable, as it’s a second-round pick that will become a first should the Wild reach the Western Conference Final and Fleury accrues four or more wins in the first two rounds.
The Blackhawks were able to get a conditional first for an unrestricted free agent in Fleury, who could very well retire after this season, during a sunk year. That’s as big of a win as you can get in my opinion.
Minnesota Wild
Wild grade: B+
It’s safe to say Fleury is likely to play better behind a more well-structured Wild team than he has with the Blackhawks all year. Entering Monday, Fleury has a .908 save percentage and a 19-21-0 record on a dismal Chicago team.
The Wild are betting on Fleury bouncing back to at least league-average goaltending, which is very possible considering Minnesota’s defensive structure. It’s a tall ask hoping Fleury will revert to resembling his former Vezina-winning self from last year where he put up a .928 save percentage in 36 games, though it’s clear the netminder still has gas left in the tank.
Fleury doesn’t solve all of the Wild’s issues headed into the playoff race, but adding a sure-fire Hall of Famer to your roster doesn’t hurt either!
