Brodeur tops list of talented but jobless free agents
With the start of National Hockey League training camps less than a week away, we’re calling it free-agency frenzy 2.0.
On July 1, it was the 30 NHL teams that were desperate as they attempted to woo the most attractive free agents with cash and/or a possible shot at the Stanley Cup.
This time around, it’s the players who weren’t signed back in July who are desperate. There are dozens of unsigned free agents looking for contracts or, at the very least, an invitation to attend an NHL camp on a tryout basis. The available talent ranges from fringe players to a future Hall of Famer in goaltender Martin Brodeur, who has been the subject of speculation in Montreal.
The New Jersey Devils cut the 42-year-old Brodeur loose after 21 seasons because they signed Cory Schneider to a long-term deal and the 28-year-old needs to play more than the 48 games he got in last season.
Brodeur had a good 19-14- 6 record last season and told the QMI Agency last week that he would be a good fit in Montreal as the backup for Carey Price.
“If the Canadiens made me an offer, it goes without saying that I would listen to what they have to offer me,” Brodeur said.
“This is Carey Price’s team,” he added. “I would definitely still want to be the No. 1 goalie, but it wouldn’t bother me to play in only 20 to 25 games during the season if I know I’ll have fun playing within a winning team.”
There was a time the Canadiens might have jumped at the chance to sign Brodeur just so they wouldn’t have to face him. Brodeur was 1-1 against the Canadiens last season to bring his career record against Montreal to 45-19-6.
But with Peter Budaj and Dustin Tokarski in the fold, the Canadiens apparently feel they are set because Vinnie Damphousse kicked off another season of l’Antichambre on RDS by reporting that general manager Marc Bergevin talked with agent Pat Brisson in July about Brodeur and there was no deal to be made.
Brodeur has an off-ice job waiting for him in New Jersey, but if he wishes to continue playing his best chance is to wait for a team to run into injury problems. Ironically, the only team that doesn’t have two NHL goalies under contract is New Jersey.
There are two other available goaltenders in the 40-plus club in Tim Thomas (40) and Nikolai Khabibulin (41), while Tomas Vokoun is 38 and Ilya Bryzgalov is a youthful 34.