Martin Brodeur Injury
Torn Bicep Tendons Will Keep Goalie Out of Lineup for Most of Season
Nov 4, 2008
In fact, if one is going to equate this whole unfortunate situation to an afterlife metaphor, as of now, the Devils are right where they belong in hell.
Brodeur Gets Injured
In a game against the Atlanta Thrashers last Saturday, Brodeur got injured during a goal-mouth scramble and left the game with what team officials called a bruised elbow. However, it was just revealed on Tuesday that the injury is much more severe and will require surgery and significant rehabilitation, likely costing the netminder three to four months of playing time.
There is a cliche that whenever a player gets injured, it comes at the worst possible moment. In the case of Brodeur, any moment in which he gets injured is the worst ever, just due to how much he has meant to his team over the length of his career.
Roy Record Will Have to Wait
Brodeur's career numbers are so impressive, that before the injury he was on the doorstep of former Colorado Avalanche (and Montreal Canadiens) goaltender Patrick Roy's most-career-wins record (551). So, Roy, who recently commented on how all of Brodeur's shootout wins will taint the record once he inevitably gets passed by the Devils' netminder, will get to breathe a sigh of relief. Perhaps, in some odd way, this is fate's way of balancing things out, allowing Roy to hold onto his record for just a few months longer, maybe even another season.
In addition, Brodeur is closing in on Terry Sawchuk's all-time-shutouts record of 103. So, this injury is a doubly costly one as it likely not only ruins the Devils' season but Brodeur's as well, which at one time was being looked at as potentially one for the ages.
The numbers don't lie. In 978 career games, Brodeur has amassed a record of 544 wins, 294 losses, 22 ties and 98 shutouts. Since the 1997-1998 season, he has never played less than 70 games during an 82-game regular-season schedule. So, really, it was almost a foregone conclusion that Brodeur would have broken both records this year had he stayed healthy.
In fact, his team has been so reliant on him in the past that there should be a running joke that Brodeur's backup, whoever it is in any given season (right now it is Kevin Weekes), is a glorified towel boy. And that isn't far off.
Weekes-t Link?
Right now, New Jersey general manager Lou Lamoriello's eyes are focused squarely on Weekes, who has been a starting goaltender before, with varied results. Ironically, Weekes' arguable crowning achievement as an NHL goaltender came in the 2001-2002 playoffs when he helped the Carolina Hurricanes to orchestrate a first-round "upset" over the Devils (the Hurricanes were the third seeds, the Devils the sixth seeds) before handing the reins over to Arturs Irbe the rest of the way, as the 'Canes made an unlikely trip to the Stanley Cup Final, only to be destroyed by the Detroit Red Wings.
Weekes' last stint as a starter came in 2005-2006 when he was named the New York Rangers primary netminder before head coach Tom Renney and all the other teams in the league realized the talents of Henrik Lundqvist. So, all things considered, it's somewhat fair to call Weekes a career backup.
So, a scenario in which Weekes is the team's starting goaltender will garner Lamoriello's full attention, as he has the reputation of being a power-hungry GM who's not afraid of pulling the trigger on a deal if it needs to be done. Also, he hates losing, so Weekes had better look into improving upon his 98-159-6 career record... and fast.
So, with it all put into perspective, just how important is Martin Brodeur to the New Jersey Devils? Well for better or (much more likely) worse, the whole hockey world is about to find out.
