Retired Marc-Andre Fleury is preparing for his final trip to Pittsburgh

PITTSBURGH – Marc-Andre Fleury is ready for one last walk around the place he helped create.

The veteran goaltender will make the final start of his career on Tuesday night at PPG Paints Arena when the Minnesota Wild face the reeling Pittsburgh Penguins.

Fleury spent the first 13 seasons of his career with the Penguins, helping franchise colleagues Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang win the Stanley Cup in 2009, 2016 and 2017 before heading to Vegas in the expansion draft.

The 39-year-old Fleury — who remains a fan favorite in Pittsburgh — plans to retire after this season, meaning this visit will likely be his last as an active player. The former Vezina Trophy winner admitted he expects to be emotional before the puck drops.

“I think maybe take (a) deep breath, look around, look around carefully to preserve good memories,” Fleury said. “Like I said, I was very lucky to be able to play here for so long. I have souvenirs from this place so it will be nice to do it again.”

Fleury, who helped the expansion Golden Knights reach the Stanley Cup Final in 2018, is now a backup behind Filip Gustavsson in Minnesota. Fleury was relatively strong in two starts, going 1-0-1 with a 2.89 goals against average and a .900 save percentage for the Wild.

Returning to Pittsburgh was always going to be a bit strange for Fleury, as he was the first overall pick in 2003 by the Penguins, who were in the midst of a tumultuous period that almost saw the franchise relocate. More than two decades later, Pittsburgh is one of the NHL's top teams and Fleury's 375 wins are the most in team history.

“The most important thing for me would be to win,” Fleury said. “I want to play well here one last time and put on a good show.”

Fleury's former team is struggling. The Penguins have lost five straight and are coming off a road trip through western Canada in which they were largely outmatched.

Crosby acknowledged that Fleury's familiar No. 29 would provide some extra motivation in the other net, but stressed that the team doesn't really need it as it tries to get out of an early-season slump. He remains close to Fleury, whom he called a “great friend.”

“(We basically) grew up in the league together, trying to find our way,” Crosby said. “I think it just means a lot. I think he means a lot to me, means a lot to the organization and I’m sure he means a lot to the fans.”

The Penguins, currently 15th in the 16-team Eastern Conference, could use some of the good vibes that have long been Fleury's trademark.

“He’s really good at looking at the positive,” Crosby said. “And I think he has high expectations himself. But I think he still finds a way to have fun, keep things light and find balance.”