"Not F you but how are you?" - Marc-Andre Fleury and Penguins beat reporter's inside joke involving the middle finger

In his latest column, Pittsburgh Penguins beat reporter Rob Rossi shared a funny story about former goalie Marc-Andre Fleury. This story is part of his "Storytime with Rossi" section.

The story goes back to the Penguins’ trip to Stockholm in 2008 when they opened the season against the Ottawa Senators. A few days into the trip, a tired Fleury walked up to Rossi in the dressing room. He told Rossi that he “looked like s***.” In a playful response, Rossi gave Fleury the middle finger. They both laughed at the silly moment.

After returning to Pittsburgh, Fleury surprised Rossi by giving him the middle finger again after a morning skate. Rossi was confused at first, but Fleury explained that it was their inside joke.

“It’s not F you, but how are you?” Fleury said.

Recently, Rossi approached Marc-Andre Fleury at PPG Paints Arena and used the same gesture. Fleury was there to play a game against the Penguins, guarding the Minnesota Wild's net. Fleury laughed and put his arm around Rossi. They both smiled, proving that their friendship was strong.

Fleury will turn 40 next month and he has already hinted at his possible retirement after this season. He is in his 21st NHL campaign.

Fleury has had an amazing NHL career, winning several trophies and reaching different milestones. He was drafted first overall by the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2003. He then joined the Vegas Golden Knights in 2017, the Chicago Blackhawks in 2021 and the Minnesota Wild in 2022. On Tuesday, he played his 100th game for the Wild.

Fleury spent his first 13 seasons with the Penguins. He won the Stanley Cup in 2009, 2016 and 2017 playing alongside captain Sidney Crosby. He is also a fan favorite in Pittsburgh.

Marc-Andre Fleury's last game in Pittsburgh

Fleury made 26 saves as the Minnesota Wild beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 5-3 on Tuesday. The game was likely Fleury’s last in Pittsburgh.

Frederick Gaudreau scored twice, while Kirill Kaprizov added a goal and two assists for Minnesota. Mats Zuccarello and Jakub Lauko also scored. For Pittsburgh, Rickard Rakell scored twice and Valtteri Puustinen earned his first power-play goal. Sidney Crosby assisted on three goals, while Joel Blomqvist made 34 saves.

During the first timeout, Pittsburgh fans gave Marc-Andre Fleury a standing ovation and watched a tribute video. He holds several records with the Penguins, including most wins (375) and playoff wins (62).

The Penguins have lost six games in a row. Their next game will be against the Anaheim Ducks on Thursday.