Martin Brodeur
The winningest goaltender in NHL history, a three-time Stanley Cup champion with the New Jersey Devils.
Martin Pierre Brodeur (born May 6, 1972) is a Canadian-American professional ice hockey executive and former player. He played 22 seasons as a goaltender in the National Hockey League (NHL), 21 of them for the New Jersey Devils, with whom he won three Stanley Cup championships and five Eastern Conference championships in 17 postseason campaigns. He also won two Olympic gold medals with Canada, his first as the starting goaltender for the team in 2002, and his second as the backup goaltender in 2010, as well as several other medals with Canada in other international competitions. Brodeur is widely regarded as one of the greatest goaltenders of all time. In 2017, he was named by the league as one of the "100 Greatest NHL Players", and the following year, he was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame.
Quick Facts
- Role
- Goaltender
- Jersey number
- 31
- Draft
- 1st overall, 1993 NHL Entry Draft
- Stanley cups with devils
- 3 (1993, 1995, 2003)
- Vezina trophies
- 4
- Conn smythe trophies
- 3
- Status
- Retired; #31 retired by the Devils
Lore & Background
Brodeur holds numerous NHL and franchise records among goaltenders; he ranks as the league's all-time regular season leader in wins (691), losses (397), shutouts (125), and games played (1,266). He won at least 30 games in twelve straight seasons between 1995–96 and 2007–08 and is the only goaltender in NHL history with eight 40-win seasons. He is a four-time Vezina Trophy winner, a five-time William M. Jennings Trophy winner, a ten-time NHL All-Star, and a Calder Memorial Trophy winner. He is one of 17 NHL goaltenders to score a goal in the regular season and the second to do so in the playoffs; his three goals are the most of any NHL goaltender. He only had three seasons where he posted more losses than wins.
Reader's Guide
Brodeur used a hybrid style of goaltending by standing up more than typical butterfly style goaltenders, though he adapted to more modern techniques at the latter stage of his career. He was known for his puck handling, his positional play, and his reflexes, especially with his glove hand. Brodeur's prowess at puck handling was so well known that it led in part to the NHL changing its rules to restrict where goaltenders were allowed to handle the puck outside of the goal crease, adding what is known as "the Brodeur rule" after the 2004–05 NHL lockout. He announced his retirement in the middle of the 2014–15 season after a brief stint with the St. Louis Blues, having played in just seven games with the team. He is the current executive vice president of business development for the Devils.
Did You Know?
- Brodeur was drafted by the New Jersey Devils in the first round (20th overall) in the 1990 NHL entry draft.
- Brodeur's father Denis played in the 1956 Winter Olympics for Canada and won a bronze medal, and later was a longtime photographer for the Montreal Canadiens.
- Brodeur idolized Canadiens goaltender Patrick Roy and Flyers goaltender Ron Hextall.
- Brodeur started playing hockey as a forward; his goaltending career began when his coach asked him if he wanted to play as a backup in a youth tournament.
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