GATINEAU, Quebec (AP) — Martin Brodeur is looking for work, and the NHL season starts on Wednesday.
Brodeur is hoping to find a new team soon. After 21 stellar seasons with the New Jersey Devils, the 42-year-old goaltender also knows his time in the NHL may have come to an end.
Brodeur has been keeping in shape this week, training with Quebec Major Junior Hockey League’s Gatineau Olympiques. His son, Anthony, is a goalie on the team.
“It means a lot (to be training with Anthony),” Brodeur said Tuesday. “This was a great opportunity for me to jump in and have fun with him and see what kind of level he’s playing against every day. It’s been fun.”
Brodeur skated with some of his former Devils teammates last month, but has found it difficult to find any quality ice time since training camp opened. Coming to Gatineau has allowed him to maintain his training and spend quality time with his oldest son.
Brodeur was in Mississauga last week catching up with younger son Jeremy, who is a goaltender for the Oshawa Generals of the Ontario Hockey League. He also is planning to visit Jeremy’s twin William, a forward at Shattuck-St.Mary’s in Minnesota.
Brodeur is enjoying his time with his sons, but said it’s been strange not being at the rink on a daily basis.
“At the same time it’s not like this is coming out of the blue,” he said. “This is something I’ve prepared for. I’ve asked a lot of questions to my buddies that are retired.
“The future doesn’t scare me at all.”
Brodeur is the NHL’s career leader in regular-season wins, losses, shutouts, and games played, and holds numerous other league and franchise records. A four-time Vezina Trophy winner, Brodeur is the only goalie in NHL history with eight 40-win seasons.
Brodeur believes he still has plenty to offer to a team, but at the same time wants to ensure he finds the right situation.
“I’d love to be on a competitive team, that’s for sure,” said Brodeur, who won three Stanley Cups with the Devils. “If I’m not going to play a lot I’d like to have a chance to win every time I jump between the pipes. There are places I really don’t want to go, but there are other places I wouldn’t mind going. There will be a couple nice fits out there if it happens.”
At this point, Brodeur’s preference would be to sign with a Western Conference team, since the idea of playing against the Devils seems almost too odd to him to comprehend.
Brodeur would have liked to have already signed with a team, but understands organizations likely want to get a good look at younger prospects.
“Hopefully I’ll have an opportunity but if it doesn’t happen it’s not the end of the world,” Brodeur said. “I’ve played a lot of hockey and I’m enjoying my time off right now. I’ve never done that in my life so it’s kind of nice to do, but just coming back and playing hockey for two days I know I still have it and it’s still inside of me to want to play a little more if I can.”
Whenever Brodeur retires, his long-term future could include a role with the Devils. Brodeur said he couldn’t imagine himself working for any other organization.
“The conversation I had with (general manager) Lou (Lamoriello) about my future was all about I’m going to need some time here,” Brodeur said. “I might want to do something, but I don’t know how much I want to do. Not because I don’t want to work, but I want to enjoy what I missed out on for so many years.”
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