Ed Mulholland-USA TODAY Sports
Martin Brodeur proved once again that he can still cut it in 2013, notching a decent 2.22 goals-against average and .901 save percentage. Even though it was a strike-shortened season that did not demand quite as much of the New Jersey Devils‘ goaltender as usual, Brodeur’s GAA mark ranked eighth in the NHL among netminders with at least 25 starts.
This is not too shabby for a 40-year-old professional hockey player, but does his age and soon-to-expire contract mean that 2013-2014 will be the last run for Brodeur?
“Not at all,” Brodeur said, via NorthJersey.com’s Fire & Ice blog. “It’s the last year on my contract and that’s about it. This year, even though we didn’t make the playoffs, I had a great time playing the game. I really had a good time competing at the level I wanted to compete (at) and if it stays like that and I’m still having fun, who knows that’s going to happen? I’m not putting a decision in my mind.
“Two, three years ago, it was harder to make that decision, but now, for whatever reason, I don’t know if it’s the way the game is here, I really enjoy we have a chance to win every single game and the coaches make it fun to come to the rink.”
Brodeur saw his first pro action back in the 1991-1992 campaign and has played a majority of the Devils’ games in every season since 1995, save for the 2008-2009 campaign. While his numbers don’t touch that of his prime around the turn of the century, last season saw him halt a decline and improve upon a tough two-year stretch heading in.
We’ll see if that rebound continues next season.
Thomas Emerick is a Senior Writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @ThomasEmerick, “Like” him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google
