“I'm not a person who likes to fight against authority or not listen to rules. My mother was surprised when she saw that I supported wearing the mask.
• Also read: “I'm not looking for an excuse. It's up to me to block pucks” – Marc-André Fleury talks about his difficult season with the Wild
There is a difference between aversion to fighting and standing up for principles. Marc-André Fleury illustrated this, even as he destabilized his own mother, France Cardin.
On November 24, Marc-André Fleury defied the NHL's new policy of wearing special uniforms by wearing a special mask at the First Nations Heritage Evening organized by the Minnesota Wild.
Fleury was initially threatened with a fine by race officials and eventually put his mask on without consequences. Gary Bettman and Bill Daly logically gave up, probably for fear of causing even greater controversy.
Nearly a month after that game against the Colorado Avalanche, in which the Wild lost 3-2 at the Xcel Energy Center, Fleury returned to that little storm in an interview with the Journal.
“I thought it was the right thing to do. I wore the mask for 15 minutes while warming up. There was nothing offensive, Fleury said. I did it for a good cause. I had four different paintings on my masks this season and I have never heard of the other three masks. Why does a mask with flowers and a drawing paying tribute to an indigenous community seem disturbing? If I hadn't told the story, no one would have said anything.
“People talked about it more than I could imagine,” the 39-year-old goalkeeper continued. It's not my style to be anti-establishment, but I wanted to. I had met the people of the reservation on Prairie Island [à environ une heure de route de St. Paul]. I played golf with the team in a tournament. Later that fall I visited the reservation and played bowling with the community fans. I know there was important symbolism for her. I knew there were rules.”
$35,000 for a good cause
Fleury asked Cole Redhorse Taylor, an indigenous artist from the Prairie Island reservation, to paint his mask for the occasion. The white mask featured flowers in the colors of the wild, inspired by the community's traditions. It was also a nod to her nickname: “Flower.”
@mnwild
But beyond the drawing, Fleury sought to pay homage to his wife Véronique Larosée's indigenous roots.
“Véro has indigenous roots. It came from his father, he said. He comes from the Odanak reserve [32 kilomètres à l’est de Sorel].
“I have great respect for my wife, her family and her Indigenous heritage. I also received messages from several other people with indigenous roots. They were touched when they saw that I had chosen to wear the mask. I wanted to use the money to help the community near Minnesota. They raised nearly $35,000. It's not nothing. They wanted to use the money they raised to help the reservation's Family and Cultural Center on Prairie Island.
In all of this history, Fleury never received a call from Bettman or any other NHL executive.
“I never spoke to Bettman or Daly. Alan [Walsh]My agent simply wrote to me that there would be no fine.”