Former Penguins goalie Marc-Andre Fleury defies NHL, wears specialty mask in warmups
ST. PAUL, Minn (KDKA) - Despite not playing in the Minnesota Wild's 3-2 loss to the Colorado Avalanche on Friday, current Wild goalie and former Penguins first overall pick Marc-Andre Fleury was the center of attention in St. Paul.
This past offseason, following a refusal by a handful of players to participate in Pride Night games, the NHL put into place a restriction on specialty jerseys, masks, stickers, and decals for theme nights.
There was also an initial ban on players using rainbow-colored stick tape for Pride nights, but following a backlash from teams and the community, that was reversed.
On Friday, the Wild held a Native American Heritage Night and the goalie had a mask painted specifically for the game, honoring native people.
Part of the reason Fleury had the mask made was that he wanted to pay tribute to his wife who is an Indigenous woman. He collaborated with a local artist in Minnesota, Cole Redhorse Taylor, to paint the mask.
Taylor created the design for the mask. It includes Dakota language.
"Mni sota makoce and that means, quite literally it means land of the cloudy waters or the misty waters," Taylor said.
The league informed the Wild as well as Fleury's agent Allan Walash, that they would fine both Fleury and the team should Fleury wear the mask.
Well, despite pressure from the NHL, Marc-Andre Fleury defied the league and wore the mask during the warmup.
While it remains unclear if the NHL is planning to make good on its threats to fine Marc-Andre Fleury and the Minnesota Wild, it also is unknown how much those fines would be should the league levy them against the goaltender.
Fleury's mask is now up for auction on the Minnesota Wild's website with the proceeds benefitting the Minnesota Wild Foundation as well as the American Indian Family Center.
Fleury did not speak to reporters after the game.
