Blues legend Martin Brodeur, a four-time Vezina Trophy winner and three-time Stanley Cup champion,retired on Thursday. He also played for the New Jersey Devils.
"I'm leaving the game with a big smile on my face andI don't think, if I would have done that last year, that would've been the case," he said.
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Yes, Thursday's news conference Brodeur in front of a Blues backdrop, specifically was weird. He signed with St. Louis in December and will spend the rest of the season as an a sistant to GM Doug Armstrong. After that, presumably, he'll return to the Devils organization and continue his transition into a front-office guy, but Thursday, for whatever reason, was about the Blues.
"They really took me into their family, and for me that meant a lot," Brodeur said.
"I didn't know what to expect when I came here. I see this organization going a long way," Brodeur said, adding that he and Devils president Lou Lamoriello were on the same page but there wasn't a job open for him at the moment.
Fair enough. Let's take a quick opportunity to commemorate the Brodeur Erain St. Louis. Here are his seven best games ranked.
7. Dec. 18, 2014
What he did: The Kings, back in L.A. after a 1-3-1 road trip,came back from a 3-0 deficit to beat St. Louis 6-4. Brodeur stopped 31of 37shots.
''It was good and bad to get that lead,'' Brodeur said. ''I think when you come in from a long road trip like the Kings did, they took their medicine. But then they really picked up their game, played physical and created a lot of offense.''
What he didn't do: Force the NHL, yet again, to change its rules.The trapezoid, instituted largely because of Brodeur 's puck-handling ability, lives on.
6.Dec.23, 2014
What he did: He came in for mop-up duty during a 5-0 lo s to Colorado and stopped all 10 shots he faced. Nothing to see here.
What he didn't do:Help his team get back in the game by scoring a goal. Brodeur did that three other times, including once in the playoffs.
5. Dec. 4, 2014
What he did: Brodeur's first game with St. Louis was memorable. It alsowasn't particularly good. He stopped 20 of 24 shots in the Predators' 4-3 win.
''It was a different feeling for me today,'' he said. ''I haven't played in a long time. Coming into the organization, different players, different team, coaching staff, so not sure what to expect. I did it for so long with the same people over and over.
What he didn't do: Lead the Blues to a Stanley Cup. He did that three times with New Jersey.
4. Jan. 2, 2015
What he did: What turned out to be Brodeur's last NHL gamewas a lo s 4-3 to Anaheim but he was fine, making 29 saves, including a pad-stacking save that him joking afterward about looking like "the old Marty."
"I thought we had a great effort and we scored three goals, but I think on the defensive side of the puck, we made a few mistakes that they capitalized on," Brodeur added. "They're a good hockey team. You just can't give up anything for free, and we did today."
What he didn't do: Play another regular-season game. Brodeur holds that record for goalies (1,266). And the regular-seasonwins record (691). And the regular-season lo ses record (691). And the playoff wins record (113). And the shutout record (125). And a bunch more. Dude holds some records.
3. Dec. 6, 2014
What he did: Down 3-0 against the Islanders, he relieved Jake Allen at the start of the second and stopped 14 of15 shots. St. Louiswon 6-4, giving Brodeur his first as a Blue.
"It changed momentum to put me in there. It worked out well," Brodeur said. "When it was 3-3, I said `Here we go. It's my game now."
"I felt pretty good. I'm not a guy that is used to come from the bench. I've got to get used to it, I think," Brodeur added. (He did not have to get used to it.)
What he didn't do:Win 11 more. Counting two more Ws as a Blue, Brodeur is retiring with 691 career victories. Nobody in NHL history has more but 700 would've been cool.
2. Dec. 29, 2014
What he did: Brodeur stopped all 16 shots he faced against Colorado for a 3-0 win and his first shutout as a Blue.
"A shutout is a shutout, and you have to make some saves, but I thought maybe it was one of his easiest ones," Avs coach (and former rival) Patrick Roy said afterward.
What he didn't do:Shut out the Avs 124more times. That'd equal his total with the Devils. His overall total of 125 is 22 more than anyone else in NHL history (Terry Sawchuk has 103).
1. Dec. 8, 2014
What he did: His first game in front of Blues fans might've been his best. He made 32 saves in a 4-2 win over the Panthers.
"I didn't know what to expect coming in, and it's all about winning. When you win I think the fans are able to be a little more cheerful," he said. "I think it was great. They acknowledged before the game with a little video. I didn't expect that. A lot of good things. I'm really happy to be here, once again, and I think for the first visit in front of these fans, we didn't disappoint. We played well and I did my part."
What he didn't do:Actually, let's drop it. Thursday was weird, and the last year or so has been, too, butMartin Brodeur has done a lot of stuff and most of it was great.
"I'm leaving the game with a big smile on my face andI don't think, if I would have done that last year, that would've been the case," he said.
MORE: |
Yes, Thursday's news conference Brodeur in front of a Blues backdrop, specifically was weird. He signed with St. Louis in December and will spend the rest of the season as an a sistant to GM Doug Armstrong. After that, presumably, he'll return to the Devils organization and continue his transition into a front-office guy, but Thursday, for whatever reason, was about the Blues.
"They really took me into their family, and for me that meant a lot," Brodeur said.
"I didn't know what to expect when I came here. I see this organization going a long way," Brodeur said, adding that he and Devils president Lou Lamoriello were on the same page but there wasn't a job open for him at the moment.
Fair enough. Let's take a quick opportunity to commemorate the Brodeur Erain St. Louis. Here are his seven best games ranked.
7. Dec. 18, 2014
What he did: The Kings, back in L.A. after a 1-3-1 road trip,came back from a 3-0 deficit to beat St. Louis 6-4. Brodeur stopped 31of 37shots.
''It was good and bad to get that lead,'' Brodeur said. ''I think when you come in from a long road trip like the Kings did, they took their medicine. But then they really picked up their game, played physical and created a lot of offense.''
What he didn't do: Force the NHL, yet again, to change its rules.The trapezoid, instituted largely because of Brodeur 's puck-handling ability, lives on.
6.Dec.23, 2014
What he did: He came in for mop-up duty during a 5-0 lo s to Colorado and stopped all 10 shots he faced. Nothing to see here.
What he didn't do:Help his team get back in the game by scoring a goal. Brodeur did that three other times, including once in the playoffs.
5. Dec. 4, 2014
What he did: Brodeur's first game with St. Louis was memorable. It alsowasn't particularly good. He stopped 20 of 24 shots in the Predators' 4-3 win.
''It was a different feeling for me today,'' he said. ''I haven't played in a long time. Coming into the organization, different players, different team, coaching staff, so not sure what to expect. I did it for so long with the same people over and over.
What he didn't do: Lead the Blues to a Stanley Cup. He did that three times with New Jersey.
4. Jan. 2, 2015
What he did: What turned out to be Brodeur's last NHL gamewas a lo s 4-3 to Anaheim but he was fine, making 29 saves, including a pad-stacking save that him joking afterward about looking like "the old Marty."
"I thought we had a great effort and we scored three goals, but I think on the defensive side of the puck, we made a few mistakes that they capitalized on," Brodeur added. "They're a good hockey team. You just can't give up anything for free, and we did today."
What he didn't do: Play another regular-season game. Brodeur holds that record for goalies (1,266). And the regular-seasonwins record (691). And the regular-season lo ses record (691). And the playoff wins record (113). And the shutout record (125). And a bunch more. Dude holds some records.
3. Dec. 6, 2014
What he did: Down 3-0 against the Islanders, he relieved Jake Allen at the start of the second and stopped 14 of15 shots. St. Louiswon 6-4, giving Brodeur his first as a Blue.
"It changed momentum to put me in there. It worked out well," Brodeur said. "When it was 3-3, I said `Here we go. It's my game now."
"I felt pretty good. I'm not a guy that is used to come from the bench. I've got to get used to it, I think," Brodeur added. (He did not have to get used to it.)
What he didn't do:Win 11 more. Counting two more Ws as a Blue, Brodeur is retiring with 691 career victories. Nobody in NHL history has more but 700 would've been cool.
2. Dec. 29, 2014
What he did: Brodeur stopped all 16 shots he faced against Colorado for a 3-0 win and his first shutout as a Blue.
"A shutout is a shutout, and you have to make some saves, but I thought maybe it was one of his easiest ones," Avs coach (and former rival) Patrick Roy said afterward.
What he didn't do:Shut out the Avs 124more times. That'd equal his total with the Devils. His overall total of 125 is 22 more than anyone else in NHL history (Terry Sawchuk has 103).
1. Dec. 8, 2014
What he did: His first game in front of Blues fans might've been his best. He made 32 saves in a 4-2 win over the Panthers.
"I didn't know what to expect coming in, and it's all about winning. When you win I think the fans are able to be a little more cheerful," he said. "I think it was great. They acknowledged before the game with a little video. I didn't expect that. A lot of good things. I'm really happy to be here, once again, and I think for the first visit in front of these fans, we didn't disappoint. We played well and I did my part."
What he didn't do:Actually, let's drop it. Thursday was weird, and the last year or so has been, too, butMartin Brodeur has done a lot of stuff and most of it was great.