We don't have to keep going on about how Martin Brodeur is one of the best goalies of all time. We've gone over it in every way. We've compared Brodeur to the other best goalies of all time, ranked his many records, and we even compared Brodeur to Tom Brady to see who was the GOAT amongst GOATs.
New Jersey Devils fans know how great Brodeur was, but it's good to see him still get appreciation for his contributions to this day. Brodeur was named to the NHL's Team Canada Quarter Century Team. Brodeur was the starting goalie on their first team.
He joins some more recent stars in Sidney Crosby, Connor McDavid, Nathan MacKinnon on offense and some older stars on defense in Chris Pronger and Drew Doughty. The 10-year anniversary of Brodeur's retirement just past on January 29th. It's great to see the newer generation get a glimpse of Brodeur's greatness and understanding his importance of the game, especially for Team Canada.
For the Devils, Brodeur won the 2000 and 2003 Stanley Cups this century, adding an Eastern Conference Championship in 2012. We talked about his records, but he wasn't just a compiler. Brodeur won all four of his Vezina Trophies in the 2000s. He was carrying a Devils team looking for an identity after Scott Stevens retired and Scott Niedermayer left for the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim.
Martin Brodeur is named the starting goalie for Team Canada's Quarter Century Team
What probably got him over the top is the fact that Brodeur helped Canada win the gold medal in Salt Lake City in 2002. Canada hadn't won the gold medal in the sport they supposedly own since 1952. For those who need help with the math, Canada was kept off the top of the podium for five decades. Brodeur bringing that medal to his home country meant everything to that entire country, and it likely helped that it happened in the United States.
NHL.com's write up talked about some of the accolades that got Brodeur to the top. He beat out some of the great goalies of this era like Marc Andre Fleury, Roberto Luongo, Carey Price, Marty Turco, and others. Fleury made the second team, which should be a surprise to nobody. He's probably playing in his final season, and he's second all time in wins to Brodeur.
Most of Brodeur's records will live on for generations because of the change in how teams use goalies. He could have records that live on as long as Cy Young's wins record in baseball or Wilt Chamberlain's 100-point game. We just said Fleury is second all-time in wins, and he's 119 wins away. He'd have to play at least three more seasons as a starter, which he's not right now.
Brodeur deserves this honor, and Team Canada could sorely use him at the 4 Nations Face-Off right now, as goalie is their biggest weakness.