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Brodeur: ‘It’s going to be a challenge to make the playoffs’

Montreal Canadiens v New Jersey Devils

NEWARK, NJ - APRIL 23: Martin Brodeur #30 of the New Jersey Devils makes the save against the Montreal Canadiens at the Prudential Center on April 23, 2013 in Newark, New Jersey. The Devils defeated the Canadiens 3-2. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

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With Ilya Kovalchuk gone and headed to Russia, future Hall of Fame goalie Martin Brodeur says making the playoffs could be a struggle.

Rich Chere of The Star-Ledger spoke with Brodeur to get his thoughts on what life after Kovalchuk will be like and it’s trepidatious at best.

“I think it’s going to be a wait and see. It’s going to be a challenge to make the playoffs,” Brodeur admitted. “Without Kovy, not having the 30 goals that Clarkie (David Clarkson) scored and the departure of Zach (Zach Parise), now it becomes tougher for us. Especially with Detroit coming in and Columbus just fell short last year.”

Roster upheaval of one kind or another is nothing new for New Jersey. Losing Parise, Clarkson, and Kovalchuk in back-to-back years proves that. As Brodeur noted in the story, people are always eager to count the Devils out when these things happen.

With realignment and the semi-late announcement by Kovalchuk, this could be their biggest test to date to overcome drama and make the postseason.

Related: With Kovalchuk gone, Devils pursue Damien Brunner