Reports: Hawks are trading Marc-Andre Fleury to Minnesota originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago
Marc-Andre Fleury is officially on the move.
The Blackhawks have traded reigning Vezina Trophy winner to the Minnesota Wild in exchange for a conditional first-round pick in 2022, a source confirmed to NBC Sports Chicago and was later made official by the team.
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If Minnesota reaches the Western Conference Final and Fleury accounts for four wins or more in the first two rounds, the draft pick will be a first-rounder. If the conditions aren't met, the pick will become a second-rounder.
The Blackhawks are also retaining 50 percent of Fleury's salary.
Fleury reunites with former teammate Bill Guerin, who's Minnesota's general manager. The two of them won a Stanley Cup together with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2009.
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Despite having a 10-team no-trade list, Fleury had full control on where he ended up — and if he even wanted to move — because of a verbal agreement made between the player and organization after the offseason trade went down. Blackhawks GM Kyle Davidson was prepared to honor that agreement one way or another and ultimately accommodated Fleury's request to be moved to a contender of his choice ahead of Monday's 2 p.m. deadline.
From a trade perspective, the Blackhawks continue to stockpile draft picks after acquiring a pair of first-round selections in the Brandon Hagel blockbuster deal with Tampa Bay just a few days prior. That's a solid first step in Davidson's big-picture rebuild plan.
"This trade immediately puts us in a better position at the 2022 NHL Entry Draft, giving us a pick that will land early in the draft," Davidson said in a statement. "We are in a better position today at the upcoming Draft than we were yesterday.
"In a short time with the Blackhawks, Marc-Andre made quite an impression on our fanbase and in our locker room. We appreciate his willingness to work with us on finding a deal that worked for everyone. The Blackhawks wish him and his family the best in Minnesota."
From a human perspective, Fleury's presence is going to be sorely missed. He quickly became a beloved figure in Chicago, both by the fanbase and inside the locker room, and has been the team's MVP to this point.
"He’s just a special person," interim head coach Derek King said last week. "A Stanley Cup winner, he’s probably going to be in the Hall of Fame, he's a competitor. He’s just a solid human being. ... We’re going to miss him if he’s gone."
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