On Sunday, Marc-Andre Fleury declined to say whether he was aware that his agent was planning to tweet a photo Saturday of his client being stabbed in the back by a sword inscribed with Vegas Golden Knights head coach Peter DeBoer’s name.
One day after Allan Walsh sent his since-deleted tweet, Fleury immediately declined to answer questions about whether he knew in advance that his representative would post the photo.
Fleury said he asked Walsh to delete the tweet.
“I really appreciate (Walsh’s) passion for the game he has, and I think this might have been a way to defend myself in that situation,” the netminder said. “… I’m here to win with my team, to have success. That’s what’s important. Because of that, I asked him to take that picture, and he did (Sunday) tomorrow, that’s it. “
When asked if he had any idea that his agent would post the image, Fleury did not answer the question specifically.
“Like I said, I think we talked in the playoffs, well, of course. I love playing, I love being in net … He’s been on Twitter for a long time, and he’s just trying to get me to protect bit. “
When asked again to clarify whether Fleury knew in advance of the tweet, the veteran puck stopper kept his response short.
“That’s the same question as before,” he said.
Fleury later added that he and new Golden Knights starter Robin Lehner have a good relationship.
“Bottom line is that we all want to win, that’s why we’re here,” Fleury said. “I do not like distractions for my team. I think we are good. I also talked to Robin. I really like Robin. We have a good friendship, and I think he is a really good goalkeeper. There is no hard feelings. “
Vegas expects Lehner to start Game 1 against the Vancouver Canucks on Sunday.
