Martin Brodeur’s decision to take a one-week leave of absence from the St. Louis Blues has left coach Ken Hitchcock surprised and confused.
From Jeremy Rutherford of the Post-Dispatch:
Hitch on Brodeur leave: "Kind of caught everybody off guard. We didn't know what was going on. Still don't know what's going on. (1/2)"
— Jeremy Rutherford (@jprutherford) January 15, 2015
Until yesterday, it seemed as if the Blues would continue carrying three goalies -- Brian Elliott, Jake Allen, and 42-year-old Brodeur.
While the future Hall of Famer hasn’t played since Jan. 2 and his numbers (2.87 GAA, .899 SV%) are far from spectacular, Hitchcock liked what Brodeur brought to the team.
"But him being here, man it was really helpful ... to every piece of this organization. He shared information that you can't buy." (2/2)
— Jeremy Rutherford (@jprutherford) January 15, 2015
Hitch said from a selfish standpoint, he hopes Brodeur decides to stay in St. Louis. #stlblues
— Lou Korac (@lkorac10) January 15, 2015
Brodeur also provided insurance should Elliott go down with another injury. Allen has struggled this season (2.65, .900), and he’s never started a playoff game. Between Allen and Brodeur, one could easily picture Brodeur getting the nod in the postseason.
At this point, it seems as if Brodeur has two options. First is to retire. Second is to remain with the Blues and accept whatever role he’s given. It’s possible there’s a third option, that being another team picking him up via trade or waivers. But there really isn’t a strong market for his services.