Wild acquire G Marc-Andre Fleury as West hopefuls make moves

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The NHL playoffs just wouldn’t be the same without Marc Andre-Fleury being somewhere in the mix.

Unable to backstop the retooling Chicago Blackhawks into contention, the three-time Stanley Cup-winner is headed to Minnesota to help the high-scoring Wild shore up their inconsistent goaltending issues for a late-season playoff push. Minnesota gave up a conditional first-round pick in this year’s draft to acquire the 37-year-old Fleury hours before the NHL trade deadline on Monday.

Fleury, who last missed the playoffs during his first full season in Pittsburgh 16 years ago, jumped 10 spots in the Western Conference standings by landing in Minnesota where he will share the goaltending duties with Cam Talbot. The Wild opened the day sitting fourth overall — and third in the Central Division — in a tightly contested playoff race in which six points separate third-place St. Louis and ninth-place Dallas.

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Chicago Blackhawks' Marc-Andre Fleury plays against the Columbus Blue Jackets during an NHL hockey game Tuesday, Jan. 11, 2022, in Columbus, Ohio. ((AP Photo/Jay LaPrete, File))

Eight of the West’s top nine teams made moves, starting with the conference-leading Colorado Avalanche landing Montreal’s Artturi Lehkonen, who is considered one of the best 200-foot wingers in hockey. The only contender to not make a trade was salary cap-strapped and injury depleted Vegas, which sits eighth.

The Eastern Conference teams were busy, too, taking advantage of one last chance in focusing mostly on addressing depth and defensive needs.

The salary cap, which has stayed flat at $81.5 million, played a factor, with