The fate of Martin Brodeur has been one of the hotter topics in the last few weeks. After appearing in 7 games for the St. Louis Blues, Brodeur took a leave of absence to assess his future and figure out whether or not it's worth it to pursue a chance of backstopping another playoff-bound team, or to hang 'em up for good.
Brodeur was pretty solid in his short time with the Blues, even registering his 125th shutout of his Hall of Fame career. However, with Brian Elliot's return, Brodeur was pushed back to the 3rd string and, barring another injury to Allen or Elliot, it looks like Brodeurs time with the Blues is already over.
So what happens now?
There's no question that there is interest around the league for Brodeur's services. He is still in great shape, and could easily fill in for a team in need of a reliable backup. He's playoff experience is probably the best among active players and he would be a great mentor for a young goaltender, even if only for a short time.
The Washington Capitals are a team that could benefit from Brodeurs' experience. The Caps lost a tough game to the Dallas Stars on Saturday, 5-4. With the Stars earning a 3-0 lead early in the game, the Caps bounced back and tied it up, only to let in back-to-back goals. Washington did not play an all-around good game. They were sloppy, tired, and looked to be forcing the puck too much.
They also seemed to be scrambling a lot in their backend, trying to chip pucks out of the zone quickly and rushing passes. To me, they played an entirely different type of game in front of backup Justin Peters, who was filling in for the first time in 21 games.
Peters stopped 21 Dallas shots and had some big saves, but he seemed a little lost in the crease at times which lead to the Caps defense, who didn't play great anyway, to give up man coverage.
In other words, there wasn't a lot of confidence out there for the Caps that night.
Holtby has been sensational recently and that play has resulted in the Caps playing better and knowing they have support in the crease if they screw up. If Holtby had played Saturday, the Caps would have won the game, and that isn't a knock against Peters at all. The Caps just play better in front of Holtby.
It's certainly tough for a backup to come into a game after not playing for over 20 games, and on back-to-back road trip game to boot. It wasn't an ideal situation for Peters, and you have to give him credit for standing tall after giving the Stars a three goal advantage.
However...
If the Capitals want to maintain their current pace, I honestly feel they need a seasoned veteran in that backup role. Someone who can bring a little more experience and a calming presence in case the Caps D begin to get a little clumsy with the puck.
Martin Brodeur certainly fits that mold and to get him may not cost a whole heckuva lot. The Caps still have a hair over a million in cap space and waiving Peters could knock off another $500K or so (I really miss CapGeek - best wishes on a speedy recovery!). Brodeur's puck moving skills are also another reason to kick the tires. Braden Holtby is becoming a great puck handler and that attribute is a big help in the Caps transition game. Brodeur could easily step in a field a few breakout passes as he is one of the best in the game.
And of course, Brodeur knows how to win, and that is something that would come in handy come playoff time.
Now I'm saying this is going to happen, but it's fun to speculate and start a conversation.
Do you think the Caps should inquire about Martin Brodeur? Do you think Brodeur would be a good fit for this Caps team?
More to come...
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