As tough as ever (Written for AM NY, then picked up and reprinted by Newsday)
(Writer's note--I wrote a feature on Martin Brodeur for AM New York that was picked up and printed in Newsday. --Denis Gorman)
As tough as ever
Could this be the year Brodeur finally wins Hart?
By Denis Gorman
Special to amNewYork
November 22, 2006
The hate cascaded down a half-empty Madison Square Garden last week, a tidal wave of disdain and fear after Martin Brodeur's name was announced.
This is what happens when you only lose to the big-market behemoth 15 times in 63 regular-season games. This is what happens when you are the face of a team that has won three Stanley Cup championships in 10 years while the cross-river rival pathetically floundered.
You become Public Enemy No. 1. Yet, being Al Capone doesn't bother Brodeur.
It's good to be the Devils' goaltender these days. Universally recognized as one of the two best goalies in the world -- along with the Calgary Flames' Miikka Kiprusoff -- Brodeur is in the midst of what could be a very special season. Brodeur has already won 12 games this season. His goals-against average is 2.42, he boasts a .913 save percentage, and he has shut out three opponents. In his last five games, he's allowed nine goals."We've been playing a lot better," Brodeur said before last week's 3-2 loss to the Rangers. "It's been working out fine. The [scoring] chances are a lot different than they were earlier in the season. Once or twice a game is a lot different than six, seven times a game."
By any measure, Brodeur has been magnificent. Should he continue the pace he's set for himself, if history is any indicator, Brodeur could win his third Vezina Trophy as the league's best goaltender. He could also win his first Hart Trophy, as league MVP.
It's shocking that Brodeur has not yet won a Hart. He's won at least 30 games in 10 consecutive seasons. In five of those seasons, he won more than 40 games. Factor in the individual awards and Stanley Cup championships, and maybe it's where he plays that is to blame. New Jersey is caught between two of the league's biggest markets -- New York City and Philadelphia."There are pro and cons to everything. I've been really happy with the way things are going in New Jersey," said the certain Hall of Famer. "Who knows how it would have gone in the bigger market? Sometimes bigger markets are harder to play in."We flew under the radar for a long time and had a lot of success, so I don't regret anything. I grew up in hockey's biggest market (Montreal), so I know what it's all about."
Copyright 2006 Newsday Inc.
http://www.newsday.com/sports/am-martin1122,0,659594.story?coll=ny-sports-headlines
As tough as ever
Could this be the year Brodeur finally wins Hart?
By Denis Gorman
Special to amNewYork
November 22, 2006
The hate cascaded down a half-empty Madison Square Garden last week, a tidal wave of disdain and fear after Martin Brodeur's name was announced.
This is what happens when you only lose to the big-market behemoth 15 times in 63 regular-season games. This is what happens when you are the face of a team that has won three Stanley Cup championships in 10 years while the cross-river rival pathetically floundered.
You become Public Enemy No. 1. Yet, being Al Capone doesn't bother Brodeur.
It's good to be the Devils' goaltender these days. Universally recognized as one of the two best goalies in the world -- along with the Calgary Flames' Miikka Kiprusoff -- Brodeur is in the midst of what could be a very special season. Brodeur has already won 12 games this season. His goals-against average is 2.42, he boasts a .913 save percentage, and he has shut out three opponents. In his last five games, he's allowed nine goals."We've been playing a lot better," Brodeur said before last week's 3-2 loss to the Rangers. "It's been working out fine. The [scoring] chances are a lot different than they were earlier in the season. Once or twice a game is a lot different than six, seven times a game."
By any measure, Brodeur has been magnificent. Should he continue the pace he's set for himself, if history is any indicator, Brodeur could win his third Vezina Trophy as the league's best goaltender. He could also win his first Hart Trophy, as league MVP.
It's shocking that Brodeur has not yet won a Hart. He's won at least 30 games in 10 consecutive seasons. In five of those seasons, he won more than 40 games. Factor in the individual awards and Stanley Cup championships, and maybe it's where he plays that is to blame. New Jersey is caught between two of the league's biggest markets -- New York City and Philadelphia."There are pro and cons to everything. I've been really happy with the way things are going in New Jersey," said the certain Hall of Famer. "Who knows how it would have gone in the bigger market? Sometimes bigger markets are harder to play in."We flew under the radar for a long time and had a lot of success, so I don't regret anything. I grew up in hockey's biggest market (Montreal), so I know what it's all about."
Copyright 2006 Newsday Inc.
http://www.newsday.com/sports/am-martin1122,0,659594.story?coll=ny-sports-headlines
posted by Denis P. Gorman at 11:35 PM
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