Friday, February 8th, 2008 by Adam Wagner
Marc-Andre Fleury changes pad color to be more huge
Marc-Andre Fleury’s injury is apparently having a greater effect than it seems as more than the number on the back of the goaltender’s jersey will be different once Fleury returns to the team. Fleury will no longer be wearing the bright yellow pads that he has styled since his rookie season.
Instead, Fleury will be wearing white pad, a change inspired by an eye doctor in Ottawa sending him a letter saying that the yellow pads actually have shooters an advantage. For Pittsburgh fans everywhere, this seems like a tragic change. Fleury’s pads had become one of the weirdest uniform accessories in hockey over the last few years as most other goalie’s pads match their team’s uniforms, while Fleury’s stood completely out and looked more than a little bit unnatural.
When an eye doctor makes a point of writing that your pads are making it easier for opposing shooters to put the puck by you, there is a problem. At least one question that needs to be asked, though, is why didn’t anyone mention this to Fleury before? The Penguins’ shooters definitely know what is easier to see by and what isn’t (they are, after all, professionals) and if this were an actual issue, someone should have brought it up to Fleury before.
Fleury has decided to wear white pads because, after talking to other players, he learned
that white pads apparently make a goalie look larger than dark pads do. This means that Fleury and Dany Sabourin will both be wearing white pads (until Sabourin is waived, that is) and that Ty Conklin will be the only Penguin goalie with dark pads.
This whole incident seems like it is another incident of Fleury being kind of insane and, therefore, more entertaining for every Penguin fan to watch. After all, Fleury was the player who basically kept the Penguins in contention against Ottawa last season in the playoffs. He is also, however, the player who ends up being pulled before the first period ends multiple times every year. Whatever the case, whenever Fleury is healthy and focused he is one of the top goalies in the league and one of the most entertaining to watch.
Just as importantly, the return of Fleury will give the Penguins two legitimate NHL goalies heading into the stretch run. Right now, they are dealing with one and a half, pretty much, and Ty Conklin is beginning to show signs of wearing down. The return of Fleury, no matter what color his pads are, will be a very good thing for the Penguins.
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