Brodeur swallows notion of platoon

A couple things I noticed:

1. How can Brodeur - or the Devils - expect himself to learn to get better when his own backup from back in the day is his goalie coach? How much credibility can a guy have with you when he is coaching you to do the job you took from him?
2. Of course Brodeur would be ok with this. He's already got the wins record, so its all gravy from here. This keeps his career winning % higher.
3. Rests him for next year, when this team will almost suredly be relevant again.
4. Hedberg has been pretty much as good. Gives him a chance to prove he's worth another year in Jersey or not.
5. Do the Devils have a young goalie in the wings? They'll be drafting to high this year to be getting one, unless they pick like the Islanders.

"I want to play a lot like always."

Sounds like he's "swallowing the notion" as well as my ex-wife.

That is a pretty big come down for Marty to platoon with Hedberg of all people.

I'm not sure that Jersey is going to be that much better next year. The will still be shackled by a couple bad contracts that might prohibit them from getting UFA talent.

The goalies in Albany aren't exactly setting the league on fire. Frazee isn't bad with a 2.80 GAA and a .905 SP in 22 games. McKenna however has a 4.03 GAA and a .880 SP. Even at that, its hard to translate the goalie performance from the AHL to the NHL. Its a whole different rhythm, or so I'm told.

"Brodeur .... accepted the decision and the idea that he and Hedberg might split the workload going forward."

Well! What do you know? Somebody's come up with a good idea in NJ!

Brodeur's been carrying that team on his shoulders for so long it's a miracle he can still walk! Splitting the workload will help him a little .... even if he, as the true competitor and professional that he is, wants to play a lot.

QUOTE(#1):

Originally posted 09:16 AM ET  01.04 by goCanada!

A couple things I noticed:1. How can Brodeur - or the Devils - expect himself to learn to get better when his own backup from back in the day is his goalie coach? How much credibility can a guy have with you when he is coaching you to do the job you took from him?2. Of course Brodeur would be ok with this. He's already got the wins record, so its all gravy from here. This keeps his career winning % higher.3. Rests him for next year, when this team will almost suredly be relevant again.4. Hedberg has been pretty much as good. Gives him a chance to prove he's worth another year in Jersey or not. 5. Do the Devils have a young goalie in the wings? They'll be drafting to high this year to be getting one, unless they pick like the Islanders.

To answer 1) they say the better coaches are usually not the star players as they had to work so hard to get where they did. As for 2,3 & 4, I agree. For 5, they have Frazzee who a couple years ago seemed like the real deal but last year took a step back and is playing good (not great) this year on a weakish team. They drafted a couple goalies this past year, but those guys are like 4 yrs from being relevant if they ever do become relevant (though I did read their 7th rounder is playing really well, whatever that means). Outside of that they are SOL. But it seems you might not need the star goalie like in years past (fingers crossed).

QUOTE(#5):

Originally posted 10:20 AM ET  01.04 by Nard Dog

But it seems you might not need the star goalie like in years past (fingers crossed).

Look at where the SCF goalies are now from last year. I wouldn't worry about Marty. I'd be more worried about what's in front of him.

QUOTE(#6):

Originally posted 10:28 AM ET  01.04 by cromster

Look at where the SCF goalies are now from last year. I wouldn't worry about Marty. I'd be more worried about what's in front of him.

I'm actually more worried with the GM at this point. He always had a fresh look at things, now he is just recycling the same stuff.

QUOTE(#2):

Originally posted 09:29 AM ET  01.04 by Canuck eh?

"I want to play a lot like always."Sounds like he's "swallowing the notion" as well as my ex-wife.

Followed by a shot of whiskey, my ex-wife.

QUOTE(#4):

Originally posted 09:53 AM ET  01.04 by roamer

Well! What do you know? Somebody's come up with a good idea in NJ!

The best one since Edison and his light bulb?

QUOTE(#7):

Originally posted 10:48 AM ET  01.04 by Nard Dog

I'm actually more worried with the GM at this point. He always had a fresh look at things, now he is just recycling the same stuff.

That's because Vanderbeek has his beak up ol' Lou's arse. Lou's handcuffed by that Kovalchuk deal the owner insisted on.

QUOTE(#2):

Originally posted 09:29 AM ET  01.04 by Canuck eh?

"I want to play a lot like always."Sounds like he's "swallowing the notion" as well as my ex-wife.

LMAO! CLASSIC!!!!! HA!

QUOTE(#1):

Originally posted 09:16 AM ET  01.04 by goCanada!

A couple things I noticed:1. How can Brodeur - or the Devils - expect himself to learn to get better when his own backup from back in the day is his goalie coach? How much credibility can a guy have with you when he is coaching you to do the job you took from him?2. Of course Brodeur would be ok with this. He's already got the wins record, so its all gravy from here. This keeps his career winning % higher.3. Rests him for next year, when this team will almost suredly be relevant again.4. Hedberg has been pretty much as good. Gives him a chance to prove he's worth another year in Jersey or not. 5. Do the Devils have a young goalie in the wings? They'll be drafting to high this year to be getting one, unless they pick like the Islanders.

Good post! Agree except #3, and that's because of Kovie. Is this guy going to help make this team, or not? The Devils were expected to get 101 pts this year(one prediction I'm looking at), and then he came along, and out went the D men with some chemistry with their goalie.

This deal, no matter how you look at it, would have been better for NJ if they let him go to the <snicker> KHL, so he can score goals on 45 year Hasek. Nabby was let go(not surprised, unless they screwed him over), so that threat that had quite a few moaning, was ALL A HUGE PILE!

Marty can still play, but not behind this team, at least with the way they have been playing. Roy,Tretiak, and Brodeur couldn't stop the bleeding with them all in the net trying to help each other.........that's how I see it, but I won't pretend to know all that goes on in NJ.

They should trade Mackenna for Mike Brodeur from Ottawa, that way they will always have a Brodeur in net! HA! When Lehner gets to the NHL he'll smash Mike Brodeur right out of the way, so trade him to NJ now! ;)

With the workload Brodeur's shouldered over the years, it should be no shock to anyone that he's declining fast. He was pulled as the starting goalie in the Olympics, after a sub-par game, to end his streak as the go-to guy for Canada last year. All part of reality for someone who's aging fast.

The only thing strange is that there seems to be no transition plan in place. It's hard to imagine that Brodeur will still be around when the team becomes relevant again. If they can get through another 12 months of "rebuilding" with Brodeur, they should go out and get Cory Schneider from the Canucks who should be ready to go as a solid starter by then, if not sooner. Luongo's going nowhere with his contract and Schneider's will be up at the end of next season I think. Consider it reciprocity, since the Devils traded Kirk McLean to the Canucks, where he was one of key players that led Vancouver to the 94 Cup finals.

The Devils are just a below average team and always have been. The only player that made them who they were was Brodeur. As everyone can clearly see Brodeur is old and slow now, playing all those games in net has caught up with him and the Devils will never be the same, woohoo.