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Originally Posted by dissentowner
I disagree, Fleury would go out and initiate crap and take a penalty when the Flames were not engaged. You say he took stupid penalties yet you ignore the fact that Fleury drew way more penalties from the opposition than he took. He was a 5'6 hockey player in a big mans game, if he did not take some of those penalties guys would think they could just walk all over him. The guy was heat and emotion night in and night out while battling demons from a tough upbringing.
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I certainly saw the penalties where he was fighting back and standing up for himself and have much less of an issue with those. I am talking about the slashing calls after a guy took the puck off his stick in the neutral zone or the brutal hooking calls he would get "backchecking" after someone didn't pass him the puck. Those aren't plays he made because he was 5'6 and sticking up for himself those were selfish plays he made because he was having a tantrum that things didn't go his way.
Quote:
Originally Posted by dissentowner
I find it absolutely mind boggling that any Flames fan would not want #14 in the rafters. There was never a more iconic player imo to suit up for the Flames. From the little man that could helping the team win the SC, the amazing story of what he went through, the attempted comeback to retire a Flame (should have made the team too) and everything he has done for the city of Calgary it is simply mind boggling.
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To me Iginla was a much more iconic guy based on his better play on the ice, much better leader and of course miles better person off the ice.
The comeback is a perfect example where Fleury was clearly two steps behind everyone else and just awful out there and instead of realizing this and handling it properly he takes shots at the team and management when it was his own lack of ability at that age that kept him off the team. To me that lack of taking responsibility, lack of class and looking to blame everyone else for his failure is a perfect example of what Fleury is/was and why I have no desire to see his jersey retired.