By most accounts, it seemed like Martin Brodeur more-or-less decided that this wouldn’t be his final season in the NHL.
While the future Hall of Famer didn’t totally shut the door on a possible retirement, he did shed some light on his situation after Game 6’s 6-1 defeat - and justified expectations that he’ll probably be back.
“This season and this playoff run answered a lot of questions - where my game is at - and I’m really happy to hopefully continue,” Brodeur said.
Katie Strang reports that Brodeur “wants to play, but wants some time to decide,” but he’ll make that call by July 1 (the beginning of the free agent period). Brodeur also said that his choice “is not linked” to Zach Parise’s free agent situation, although he believes that bringing back Parise is justifiably the Devils’ top priority.
Improved leverage
Going into the playoffs, it seemed like the Devils’ two most prominent off-season storylines revolved around one franchise staple they needed to woo (Parise) and one who seemingly needed to woo them (Brodeur). Many believed that Brodeur’s best days were behind him - some even wondered if Johan Hedberg was the best choice in net - yet he earned a significant amount of leverage with an outstanding playoff run.
More magic
Brodeur’s 2012 playoff numbers require zero “for his age” qualifiers. After a pedestrian regular season, Brodeur went 14-12 with a .917 save percentage and 2.12 GAA. Those stats don’t tower over Conn Smythe winner Jonathan Quick’s staggering marks, yet it’s not a stretch to say that Brodeur got the best of Quick at least a couple times.
To some, that kind of productivity represents a dignified time to “ride off into the sunset,” but Brodeur seems like he’s still having fun and might have something left in the tank. After this run, can you really fault him for wanting another spin?