Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

Golden Knights’ Marc-Andre Fleury picked for NHL All-Star game

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Steve Marcus

Golden Knights goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury is shown during a break in the second period of a game against the Nashville Predators at T-Mobile Arena Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2019.

Updated Monday, Dec. 30, 2019 | 2:25 p.m.

Marc-Andre Fleury walked off the ice at Golden Knights’ practice Monday to receive the news: Fleury was an All-Star once again.

The NHL announced rosters for the All-Star Game on Jan. 25 in St. Louis, and Fleury was the lone Golden Knights’ representative for the Pacific Division. It is his third-straight nomination, representing Vegas in its three years of its existence, and his fifth overall appearance.

“It’s always an honor to get a call like that,” Fleury said. “It’s fun to go and get see all the guys from around the league, all the good players, and try to do well for the Knights and try to represent the right way out there.”

Fleury’s selection isn’t a surprise, though he is having a down season by his own standards. After a torrid start to the year, he now sits with a .912 save percentage and 2.74 goals-against average that are the worst among his three seasons in Vegas. He has saved 1.43 goals above average, according to Evolving Hockey, which is 28th in the NHL among goalies with at least 10 games.

The surprise was the exclusion of Vegas forward Max Pacioretty, who is having perhaps the best season of his career. He leads the Golden Knights with 16 goals and 40 points, and is 16th in the NHL with 9.6 goals above replacement, according to Evolving Hockey. Among Pacific forwards, that GAR number is behind only Vancouver’s Elias Pettersson and Edmonton’s Connor McDavid, both of whom are All-Stars.

Pacioretty still has a chance, as he is the Golden Knights’ representative for the Last Man In vote, which begins at 9 a.m. Wednesday on the team’s site.

Coach Gerard Gallant could also represent the Golden Knights. The coach from the division leader by points percentage at the break will coach that division’s team, and the Golden Knights currently second by points percentage.

“I’ve been to a couple, I’ve been fortunate to go there and they’re lots of fun, so we’ll see what happens,” Gallant said. “I’m not going to live and die with that, I just want our team to be in first place.”