This past June, Marc-André Fleury caused quite the stir about the hockey world when he was quoted at a Montréal charity golf tournament by the French-language daily La Presse as speaking the following about Sidney Crosby’s future with the Penguins: “I can’t answer for him, but I hope for him that he does leave. It’s been three years in a row that Pittsburgh has missed the playoffs, and it’s not looking good for next season.”

Fleury’s since taken issue with the way that quote would be interpreted, and I’ll respect that. We’re talking, after all, about one of the better humans to ever pass through our tunnels.

Still, in having the franchise’s greatest goaltender on hand today here at PPG Paints Arena for the 2016 Stanley Cup champions’ reunion, plus the current team’s sixth straight W in beating the Rangers, 6-5, plus the 28-14-11 record and all the other goodness, I couldn’t help but raise what’s above with him afterward in a one-on-one talk in the locker room.

“I’ve kept my eye on them,” he’d begin once I brought it up. “I always care about the Penguins. I still have good friends here, and I still look at how they’re doing.”

At which point he flashed that familiar smile.

“I’m so happy for them. I’m so happy for them to have a winning team, I’m so happy for the fans to come to the rink and enjoy themselves like they did today.”

Yep. A boisterous capacity crowd of 18,370.

“That was awesome. Like old times. It’s great. I’m happy for them that everything worked out like this. They’ve still got the great players, Sid and those guys, and now they’ve got the support, guys who help them. 

He cited Connor Dewar and Justin Brazeau, former teammates in St. Paul, as looking much improved from their mutual days with the Wild. He’d spend extensive time after this game talking with Dewar.

“Look at them now, what they’re doing. All these guys, really. It’s been great to see.”

As for Fleury, he and his family have made a home in St. Paul, and he’ll occasionally help out Minnesota management with goaltending in practices, but he’s not about to un-retire at 41, no matter how many rumors to the contrary might arise.

“Oh, no. No chance. I’m happy like this.”

And no, I didn’t ask if he’d come back just to handle shootouts.