Sticking with Jersey: Brodeur Inks Two-Year Deal with Devils
Fitzgerald Cecilio
Martin Brodeur (Photo by flickr/slgckgc)
Newark, NJ
Veteran goaltender Martin Brodeur has agreed to stay with Stanley Cup runner-up New Jersey Devils, signing a two-year contract worth $9 million.
After he turned free agent, the Toronto Maple Leafs and Chicago Blackhawks courted the veteran netminder but he eventually decided to stay with the team that drafted him 20th overall in 1990.
"We did entertain some offers, but at the end the Devils were able to come through with the extra year and that for me was the most important thing in the deal," Brodeur told nhl.com.
"The Devils weren't ready for a little while to do that and when they were able to get it done that was a pretty easy decision to be made," added Brodeur, who leads the league in wins (656), shutouts (119), games played (1,191) and minutes played (70,028).
He has been the Devils' No. 1 goalie for 18 seasons and has led the Devils to five finals appearance, resulting to three Stanley Cup championships and five trips to the finals.
Last season, Brodeur went 31-21-4 with a 2.41 GAA and .908 save percentage in the regular season. In the playoffs, he recorded a 14-9 mark with a 2.12 goals against average and a .913 save percentage in leading New Jersey to its first Eastern Conference title since 2003.
Brodeur will be 42 years old when the contract expires but said he is not sure that would be last deal that he will sign in his career.
"Circumstances happen sometimes in life that you can't control and I can't say it's not going to happen again, but I'm really happy," Brodeur said. "Two years seems appropriate for me to maybe leave the game at that time, but I'm not 100 percent sure."
Brodeur also expressed elation with the signing of his back-up goalie Johan Hedberg to a new deal.
"It's definitely a nice set-up, but it doesn't really help the future of goaltending for the Devils," Brodeur said.
Hedberg appeared in 61 games over the past two seasons with the Devils and won 32. He went 17-7-2 with four shutouts, a 2.23 GAA and a .918 save percentage this past season.
With Brodeur back in the fold, the Devils can focus on re-signing free-agent forward Zach Parise, who is expected to announce his decision Monday.
Brodeur on his new deal with Devils
Twitter: @ihavenet
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