Minnesota Wild Stanley Cup Odds After Marc-Andre Fleury Trade

Minnesota's Stanley Cup Odds After Marc-Andre Fleury Trade

There has been a lot of speculation regarding where Marc-Andre Fleury will end up over the last few weeks. Those questions were answered shortly before noon eastern on Monday, when the Minnesota Wild reportedly dealt a conditional first-round pick in this year’s NHL Draft to the Chicago Blackhawks for Fleury. Minnesota really needed an upgrade in net, and Fleury’s addition has made the Wild 20-1 to win the Stanley Cup.

What Fleury Means For Minnesota

Fleury was linked to the Western Conference leading Colorado Avalanche last week, but the Avalanche decided to stick with Darcy Kuemper. The Avalanche dealt their first-round pick in this year’s draft, a future pick, and Conor Timmins to Arizona for Kuemper, so they didn’t want to give up another premium pick for another goaltender.

Minnesota has been in need of a quality netminder though. The Wild are tied for third place in the Central Division, but they had one of the worst goaltender situations among contenders. Cam Talbot is carrying a 2.92 GAA and a .907 save percentage this season, and Kaapo Kahkonen wasn’t much better as the team’s backup. Talbot has been decent in the postseason with a 2.45 GAA and a .923 save percentage in 32 games, but Minnesota would rather take its chances with a player that has risen to the occasion in the past.

Mercurial might as well be Marc-Andre Fleury’s middle name. Fleury has had an up-and-down career, looking like the talent that led to the Pittsburgh Penguins taking him No. 1 overall in 2003 and floundering on other occasions. 

He won three Stanley Cups with the Penguins and was the Vezina Trophy winner last season with a .928 save percentage and a 1.98 GAA with the Vegas Golden Knights. However, Vegas opted not to bring him back as a result of his age and some disappointing performances in the playoffs. In 162 playoff games, Fleury has a 2.53 GAA and a .912 save percentage.

The Wild have one of the most exciting young players in the NHL in Calder Trophy winner Kirill Kaprizov and a talented set of forwards alongside him. A reliable goaltender could make the Wild a nice bet at 20-1, but we have to see the good version of Fleury.