THN: "Experts Agree - Brodeur’s No. 1"
Die Experten sind sich einig: Torhüter Martin Brodeur von den New
Jersey Devils ist der beste seines Faches. Die Titelstory der neuesten
Ausgabe des nordamerikanischen Fachmagazins "The Hockey News"
beschäftigt sich mit dem "Vielspieler".
Experts Agree: Brodeur’s No. 1
By MIKE BROPHY
Don’t count on Martin Brodeur to play less as he skates toward the Hockey Hall of Fame. In fact, you may see him play more.
For years we have heard about goalies becoming burned out by playing
too much. Brodeur, who has led NHL goalies in minutes played four times
– and is on pace this season to make it five – says “hogwash.”
“I always use the example of (retired defenseman) Scott Stevens,” says
the veteran New Jersey Devils stopper, a two-time Vezina Trophy winner
as the NHL’s top goalie who is primed to win a third, as well as
possibly the Hart Trophy as the league’s most valuable player. “I mean,
he played the game as hard as anybody I have ever seen, but nobody ever
complained that he played 82 games.
“I’m a little different than most other goalies because mentally, the
game is not a strain on me. I don’t have all the superstitions that
seem to drain the energy from other goalies. I’m just a regular hockey
player.”
Regular player? We beg to differ.
The Hockey News recruited a panel of seven former goalies – who are all
now broadcasters and watch games closely – to rank the NHL’s top 30
goalies, based on their play this season. Brodeur, predictably, was
chosen No. 1. Vancouver’s Roberto Luongo ranked No. 2 while Calgary’s
Miikka Kiprusoff, who has struggled, particularly on the road, came in
third. (See table on pg. 15.)
Our panel of John Garrett, Brian Hayward, Darren Eliot, Tripp Tracy,
Darren Pang, Daryl Reaugh and Jim Ralph ranked the goalies 1-30. There
were 50 points awarded for a first-place vote, 45 for second, 40 for
third, 35 for fourth and 30 for fifth. Then, the point value per vote
descended one point per vote (29 for sixth, 28 for seventh, 27 for
eighth, etc.) down to five points for a 30th-place vote.
Brodeur, 34, led the NHL in wins (37), shutouts (11) and was second in
goals-against average (2.07) and save percentage (.926). There is a
school of thought that Brodeur’s numbers are sterling because the
Devils are a defense-oriented team; that he benefits greatly from the
collective effort of the players who skate in front of him as they
exert most of their efforts toward preventing goals rather than scoring
them.
THN panelist Darren Eliot begs to differ. After all, didn’t the Devils
lose Scott Niedermayer and Stevens in the past couple of seasons?
“I think they have built their entire team around Brodeur,” he says.
“When you consider his durability, this just may be his best season
yet.”
That’s saying a lot.
And while Brodeur remains the experts’ choice, Luongo is moving up the
charts quickly. The seven-year NHL vet has been admired for his
potential for a long time, but he has yet to appear in the playoffs
after suiting up for a couple of dogs – the Islanders and Florida
Panthers. This year, he’s destined for the post-season and if the
Canucks go anywhere, it will be riding on Luongo’s back.
To read the rest of this story and other great features from the world of
hockey, you can buy this issue
http://www.zinio.com/singles?issn=0018-3016U&ns=zno
or subscribe at
https://secure.indas.on.ca/care/hnc/digital.php?key=W06LDN73
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