Season 13: 2000/2001

Theoren Fleury - 2000/2001

At one point, Theoren Fleury described the 2000/2001 season as one of the best of his career. The puck was going in, he was voted the All-Star team by the fans and was in contention for the scoring title. With hard-working grinder Sandy McCarthy on his wing, Fleury re-established himself as an NHL superstar. But that all changed three weeks after the All-Star game. Fleury, prior to a Rangers game in Florida was announced to have left the club indefinatly. The Rangers announced Fleury was off to the NHLPA's in-patient substance abuse and behavioral health program. Fleury went to battle his demons, while the Rangers struggled, finishing the NHL season with 72 points, good for twenty-first overall.

On the ice, Fleury was doing great prior to the All-Star break. He had scored his 400th career goal (November 4th at Montreal) and had reached the thirty goal plateau for the eighth time. He also set a New York Rangers record with seven shorthanded goals, which was leading the NHL.

However, Fleury's great season (62 games - 30 goals - 44 assists - 74 points) was ended pre-maturely, but most likely it was the best thing to happen. By the Stanley Cup Final, according to The Hockey News, Fleury was out of the program and living in Arizona, preparing for the 2001/2002 season.

NYR Media Guide Info: Ranked third on the team with 74 points in 62 matches (30 goals, 44 assists) … Ranked third on the
team in goals (30) and third in assists (44) … Tied for second in the NHL with seven shorthanded goals, while setting a Rangers single-season record and matching a career-high … Ranked second on the team in average time on ice (21:47) … Placed second on the team and was first among forwards with 31 power play points (eight goals, 23 assists) … Tied for fourth on the team with four game-winning tallies … Ranked first on the team with six multiple-goal games and second with 20 multiple-point matches … Ranked second on the team with 238 shots on goal and fourth with 122 penalty minutes … Tallied his first hat trick as a Ranger on Nov. 1 vs. Tampa Bay … Registered three assists on Dec. 6 vs. Washington, including the 550th assist of his career … Registered his 400th NHL goal on Nov. 4 at Montreal, becoming the 60th player in NHL history to accomplish to feat … Skated in his 900th NHL match on Nov. 7 vs. Edmonton … Recorded the second longest point streak in the NHL, collecting a point in 14 consecutive matches from Dec. 2 to Dec. 31, registering six goals and 15 assists over the span … His 14-game point streak matched the fourth longest in Rangers history (Rod Gilbert, 1972-73; Reijo Ruotsalainen, 1984-85; Carey Wilson, 1988-89; Brian Leetch, 1991-92) … Posted a seven-game assist streak from Dec. 9 to Dec. 23, registering eight assists over the span … Tallied the overtime winners on Nov. 22 at Long Island (4-3) and Jan. 16 vs. Philadelphia (2-1) … Notched at least one point in 46 of 62 matches … Made his seventh NHL All-Star Game appearance, first as a starter, in Denver on Feb. 4, tallying two goals and an assist in the match … Was selected as NHL Player of the Week for the week ending Nov. 5, registering five goals and one assist, along with a plus-4 rating in three games and marking the second time in his
career he received the honor (Dec. 1995) … Tallied 55 of his 74 points vs. Eastern Conference teams (24 goals, 31 assists) … Missed the final 20 games of the season.

Statistics

Season         GP  G  A PT +/- PIM PP SH GW GT S   PCT   PPG
Pre Season      7  3  3  6  ?   8  1  0  0  0  13  23.1  0.86
Regular Season 62 30 44 74  E  122 8  7  3  0  238 12.6  1.19

Game by Game Log

Preseason

Date          Opponent          Result    G    A   PTS  PIM  +/-  Shots TOI   Linemates
September 16  at Philadelphia   L, 1-5    0    1    1    2    0     2   22:16 Kamensky, York
September 19  vs Philadelphia   W, 4-3    1    0    1    2    ?     ?     ?   Kamensky, York
September 23  at Dallas         L, 1-2    1    0    1    0   -1     1   15:37 Kamensky, York
September 25  vs New Jersey     L, 2-8    0    1    1    4   -2     2   17:10 Kamensky, York
September 26  at Columbus       T, 4-4    1    0    1    0    ?     ?     ?   ?
September 28  at New Jersey     T, 2-2    0    0    0    0   +1     1   13:20 Kamensky, York  
October 1     vs NY Islanders   W, 2-1    0    1    1    0    ?     ?     ?   Havlac, York

Regular Season

Date          Opponent          Result    G    A   PTS  PIM  +/-  Shots TOI   Linemates
October 7     at Atlanta        W, 2-1    0    0    0    0   -1     2   17:48 Grosek, York
October 11    vs Montreal       W, 3-1    0    1    1    4    E     4   14:34 Grosek, York
October 14    at Pittsburgh     L, 6-8    2    2    4    2    E     4   22:55 Grosek, York
October 16    vs Anaheim        L, 3-4    1    0    1    0   -1     3   18:35 Grosek, York
October 18    at Chicago        W, 4-2    1    0    1    2   +1     4   17:56 Grosek, York
October 22    vs Tampa Bay      L, 2-4    1    0    1    4   -1     2   24:21 Grosek, York
October 24    vs Philadelphia   L, 4-5    0    2    2    2    E     3   22:42 Kamensky, Messier
October 26    at Philadelphia   L, 0-3    0    0    0    2   -2     3         Kamensky, Messier
October 27    vs Pittsburgh     L, 1-4    0    1    1    4   -1     1   19:20 Kamensky, Messier 
October 29    vs Boston         W, 5-1    1    1    2    2   +1     5   23:43 McCarthy, Taylor
November 1    vs Tampa Bay      W, 6-1    3    1    4    0   +3     4   17:54 McCarthy, Taylor
November 2    at Ottawa         L, 5-6    1    0    1    0    E     4   22:15 McCarthy, Taylor
November 4    at Montreal       W, 5-1    1    0    1    0    E     4   15:51 McCarthy, Taylor
November 7    vs Edmonton       W, 4-3    0    0    0    0   -1     3   18:05 McCarthy, Taylor
November 9    at Washington     W, 5-3    2    0    2    0   +1     6         McCarthy, Taylor
November 12   vs Phoenix        L, 0-2    0    0    0    0   -1     6   20:53 McCarthy, York
November 14   at Minnesota      W, 3-2    1    1    2    0   +1     3   22:39 McCarthy, York
November 17   at Vancouver      L, 3-4    0    0    0    4    E     4   24:11 McCarthy, York
November 18   at Calgary        W, 5-4ot  1    1    2   12   +1     2   20:24 McCarthy, York
November 21   vs Toronto        L, 1-3    0    1    1    0    E     2   21:20 McCarthy, York
November 22   at NY Islanders   W, 4-3ot  1    0    1    0    E     5   24:35 McCarthy, York
November 24   at Buffalo        L, 2-3    0    2    2    2   +2     5   23:42 McCarthy, York
November 26   vs Ottawa         W, 3-2    0    2    2    0   -1     0   20:44 McCarthy, York
November 28   vs Los Angeles    W, 7-6    1    1    2    0   +1     3   18:30 McCarthy, Taylor
November 29   at New Jersey     L, 2-5    0    0    0    2   -1     2   22:07 McCarthy, York
December 2    at Toronto        L, 2-8    0    2    2    0   -2     4   15:12 McCarthy, York
December 3    vs Colorado       L, 3-6    0    1    1    2   -2     6   22:09 McCarthy, York
December 6    vs Washington     W, 3-2    0    3    3    0    E     3   26:42 McCarthy, York
December 8    vs Buffalo        W, 5-2    2    0    2    2    E     6   21:38 McCarthy, York
December 9    at Boston         L, 4-6    1    1    2    0   -2     3   21:45 McCarthy, York
December 12   at San Jose       L, 2-3    0    1    1    4   +1     3   22:47 McCarthy, York
December 14   at Los Angeles    T, 5-5ot  0    1    1    4    E     6         McCarthy, York
December 15   at Anaheim        L, 4-6    1    1    2   12   -1     6   20:43 McCarthy, York
December 18   vs Florida        W, 6-3    0    2    2    0   +2     2   24:14 McCarthy, York
December 20   vs St. Louis      L, 3-6    0    1    1    0   -1     2   24:04 McCarthy, York
December 23   vs Nashville      L, 2-3ot  0    1    1    2   +1     4   20:58 McCarthy, York
December 27   at Carolina       L, 3-4    1    0    1    0   +1     6   22:57 McCarthy, York
December 28   vs Atlanta        L, 1-4    1    0    1    2   -1     6   22:04 McCarthy, York
December 31   at Dallas         L, 1-6    0    1    1    0    E     2   26:27 McCarthy, York
January 4     at Phoenix        L, 1-3    0    0    0    4   -1     2   24:43 McCarthy, York
January 6     vs New Jersey     T, 5-5    1    1    2   16    E     3   23:20 McCarthy, York
January 8     vs Dallas         L, 1-2    0    0    0    4   -1     5   21:40 Messier, York
January 13    at Boston         L, 1-4    0    0    0    4   -2     5         McCarthy, York
January 14    vs Minnesota      W, 4-2    0    1    1    2   +2     5         McCarthy, York
January 16    vs Philadelphia   W, 4-3ot  2    2    4    0   +3     6   22:45 McCarthy, York
January 18    vs Toronto        W, 2-1ot  0    1    1    0   +1     9   26:51 McCarthy, York
January 20    at Montreal       T, 2-2ot  0    0    0    0    E     5         McCarthy, York
January 22    at Carolina       W, 5-2    2    1    3    0   +3     3         McCarthy, York
January 24    vs Carolina       L, 2-3    0    0    0    4   -1     4         Grosek, McCarthy
January 26    vs Islanders      L, 2-3    0    1    1    2    E     5   28:01 Grosek, York
January 27    at Toronto        L, 1-3    1    0    1    4    E     4   21:08 Grosek, York
January 29    vs Atlanta        L, 2-7    0    0    0    2   -3     6         Grosek, York
January 31    vs Montreal       W, 4-2    0    0    0    2    E     3         McCarthy, Messier
February 4    vs World Stars    W, 14-12  2    1    3    0   -1     5   14:00 Kariya, Sakic
February 6    vs Buffalo        L, 3-6    0    1    1    0   -1     2         Graves, Messier
February 9    at Florida        W, 4-2    0    1    1    0    E     2         Graves, Messier
February 11   vs New Jersey     T, 1-1    1	  0    1    2   +1     4         Graves, Messier
February 12   at Columbus       W, 4-3    0    0    0    2   +2     4         Graves, Messier
February 17   at Tampa Bay      W, 5-4    0    0    0    2    E     3   16:57 Graves, Messier
February 19   vs Chicago        W, 4-2    0    2    2    0    E     7   19:50 Graves, Messier
February 23   at Pittsburgh     L, 4-6    0    0    0    2    E     2   22:02 Graves, Messier
February 25   at Philadelphia   L, 1-2    0    1    1    0   -1     1         Graves, Messier
February 26   vs Ottawa         L, 2-3    0    1    1    0   +1     5         Graves, Messier
February 28   vs Florida        W, 4-2    Did Not Play - Personal Reasons
March 2       vs Pittsburgh     L, 5-7    Did Not Play - Personal Reasons
March 4       at Nashville      L, 2-5    Did Not Play - Personal Reasons
March 5       vs NY Islanders   L, 2-5    Did Not Play - Personal Reasons
March 9       at Washington     L, 3-5    Did Not Play - Personal Reasons
March 10      at Ottawa         W, 3-2    Did Not Play - Personal Reasons
March 12      vs Pittsburgh     T, 3-3    Did Not Play - Personal Reasons
March 14      at Buffalo        L, 3-6    Did Not Play - Personal Reasons
March 17      at Philadelphia   L, 1-2    Did Not Play - Personal Reasons
March 19      vs Washington     W, 6-3    Did Not Play - Personal Reasons
March 21      at New Jersey     L, 0-4    Did Not Play - Personal Reasons
March 24      vs Detroit        L, 0-6    Did Not Play - Personal Reasons
March 25      vs Boston         L, 2-3    Did Not Play - Personal Reasons
March 28      vs NY Islanders   W, 4-2    Did Not Play - Personal Reasons
March 29      at NY Islanders   W, 6-4    Did Not Play - Personal Reasons
March 31      at New Jersey     W, 4-3    Did Not Play - Personal Reasons
April 1       at Atlanta        W, 4-2    Did Not Play - Personal Reasons
April 4       vs Carolina       L, 1-3    Did Not Play - Personal Reasons
April 5       at Tampa Bay      W, 4-3ot  Did Not Play - Personal Reasons
April 7       at Florida        L, 0-3    Did Not Play - Personal Reasons

Rangers Schedule & Results

League Rankings

37th in league scoring

Second longest scoring streak - 14 games (6g, 15a, 21pts)

Led NHL in scoring after first 41 game segment (41gp, 24g, 32a, 56pts)

Second in shorthanded scoring (7g, 2a, 9pts)

Seventh in points-per-game average (74pts, 64 gp = 1.19 PPG)

Articles

July 13, 2000: Messier back with New York Rangers

August 28, 2000: Out for redemption

October 28, 2000: Low no fan of Fleury's penalties, bad play

November 1, 2000: Fleury scores hat trick against Tampa