Sleeper Watch

The Penguins have gone 4-6-2 in the dozen games that Marc-Andre Fleury has started since being recalled from the minors and given the starting job in Pittsburgh. But that record is not Fleury’s fault at all. In that 12-game span, he has given up more than four goals a game only once (five against the Flyers on December 23) and posted a 3.07 goals allowed average with a 90.24 save percentage while playing for a team that has allowed the third-highest number of shots against per game (ahead of only Florida and Washington).

With new coach Michel Therrien in town, you can expect more disciplined defense from the Penguins. And with proven scorers (such as Zigmund Palffy, Mario Lemieux, John LeClair, Mark Recchi, and Sergei Gonchar) on the team combined with some very special young talents (including Sidney Crosby, Tomas Surovy, Ryan Malone, and Ryan Whitney), Pittsburgh’s offense (currently ranked 24th in the league in goals per game with 2.8) will eventually click and come out of the basement and start winning more games.

Fleury has posted extraordinary numbers in the minors this year. There is nothing to suggest that he can’t play well in the NHL and perhaps even help the Penguins contend for a playoff spot by the end of the season.

Related Cafe Articles

• Other articles by Hongfu Chen
• Michel Ouellet by Ryan Moorman (posted on 01/17/2006 in Sleepers)
• Tomas Surovy by Arlo Vander (posted on 01/02/2006 in Sleepers)
• Sleeper of the Week by Ryan Moorman (posted on 12/17/2006 in Sleepers)