Considered to be one of the greatest hockey players of all time, Blues goalie Martin Brodeur has informed the team he will retire, after a 22-year NHL career that will almost undoubtedly send him to the Hockey Hall of Fame.
A press-conference will be held Thursday afternoon making his retirement official.
In an interesting turn of events, Brodeur has decided to remain with the St. Louis Blues organization in a front office role, which, according to NBC Sports, will be the position of Assistant to the General Manager.
A 9-time NHL All-Star, Martin Brodeur started his NHL career during the 1991-92 season, when he was 19 years old. He is now 42 and saying goodbye to the sport that not only he loved, but one that loved him back.
Drafted in the 1st round (20th overall) in the 1990 NHL Draft by the New Jersey Devils, Brodeur proceeded to have a 21-year career with the Devils, during which he won three Stanley Cups, first in 1994-95, then 1999-00, and for the final time in 2002-03. He would also win two Olympic gold medals with Team Canada during his hockey career, and is the NHL’s all-time leader in nearly every goalie category, including the following:
- Most regular season wins (691)
- Most 40-win seasons (8)
- Most 30-win seasons (14)
- Most consecutive 40-win seasons (3 – tied with Evgeni Nabokov)
- Most consecutive 35-win seasons (11)
- Most consecutive 30-win seasons (12)
- Most overtime wins (47)
- Most regular season shutouts (125)
- Most regular season losses (396)
- Most playoff shutouts (24)
- Most career saves (28,508)
- Most career goals by a goaltender (3 – also including playoffs)
- Most games played by an NHL goaltender (1,259)
- Most total minutes played by an NHL goaltender (4,083)
Despite his known durability, Brodeur struggled during his time with the Blues, posting an .899 save percentage, and allowing 2.87 goals per game, while going 3-3-0 in seven games with St. Louis, who had signed Brodeur to a one-year deal worth $700,000 after an injury to starter Brian Elliott early on in the season.
He took a leave of absence starting two weeks ago, in order to weigh his options on the future. And early Tuesday afternoon, it was being reported that his decision had been made, and it turned out to be the decision that would close the doors on his over two-decade tenure between the pipes.
It’s been a long, record-filled career for Martin Brodeur. A career that will always be fondly remembered by hockey fans…
