If these are, in fact, Marc-Andre Fleury’s final days in Pittsburgh, he’s certainly making them count.
The longtime Penguins netminder officially unveiled a brand new playground at the Sto-Ken-Rox Boys & Girls Club in Pittsburgh — a project he had been working on with his wife, Veronique, and the Penguins Foundation.
Penguins Foundation on Twitter
Project 29 is underway at The Boys and Girls Club!
“It’s been something we’ve been thinking about for a little while, and we were just thinking about something to give back,” Fleury said, via NHL.com. “The people of Pittsburgh have been so good to me, so to build something fun, something for the kids, I’m glad it all came out and the kids seem to like it.”
The Fleury family’s donation also includes sports equipment and games, as well as hockey nets and equipment for the indoor dek hockey rink now called Rink 29.
“We just wanted to make sure we could leave something behind. And we’re excited. We’re just very proud and happy today,” said Veronique Fleury.
Penguins Foundation on Twitter
Project29 is a hit! https://t.co/xZaNV1T5EO
Per NHL.com, the idea to partner with the Penguins Foundation on a legacy project had been in the works for several years.
Fleury waived his no-move clause ahead of the upcoming NHL Expansion Draft and is widely assumed to be the first goaltender of the Golden Knights come June 21.
“It’s bittersweet a bit, because this feels like home for me and my family,” said Fleury, who helped the Penguins win three Stanley Cups during his time with the club. “It’ll be tough to leave this place and start somewhere else. But we’ve got great memories, lots of great times. I think I just wanted to give a little something to thank the people of Pittsburgh for what they’ve done for us.”
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