We’ve known for a while now that, barring an unforeseen turn of events, Martin Brodeur has played in his last game with the New Jersey Devils. With their training camp about to start though, it will become real.
After winning the Vezina Trophy four times, leading the Devils to three championships, and posting an NHL-record 688 regular season wins, he will not be preparing for the season with New Jersey. Devils coach Pete DeBoer said that will “absolutely” change the mood of the camp.
“It’s the first time in 20 years that you’re walking into a dressing room without Marty Brodeur in it,” DeBoer continued, per The Star-Ledger. “For everybody— trainers, players, coaches— that’s going to be different. But that’s the game. People move on.”
The Devils have done that as best they can. They answered the question of who would fill the void when Brodeur left by acquiring Cory Schneider in June 2013 and signing him to a seven-year extension this summer. Schneider has previously excelled as a backup goaltender and looked good while splitting the netminding duties in 2013-14, so it’s fair to be optimistic about New Jersey’s goaltending situation going forward.
He has big shoes to fill though as the first netminder to lead the team after the future Hall of Famer finally left town.
Meanwhile, while Brodeur’s playing tenure in New Jersey is believed to be over, he is still hoping to extend his career with another team.