Brodeur returns to Devils in business role

NEWARK, N.J. — Martin Brodeur is back with the New Jersey Devils.

Brodeur rejoined the organization on Wednesday as executive vice-president of business development, a shift from the hockey management job he held for three years as assistant GM of the St. Louis Blues. He returns to the franchise he led to the Stanley Cup three times and became the NHL’s all-time-leading goaltender in victories with.

“It feels fantastic to be back home here in New Jersey,” Brodeur said.

Brodeur spent 21 of his 22 NHL seasons with New Jersey, lifting the Cup in 1995, 2000 and 2003 and winning the Vezina Trophy four times as the league’s best goalie. He signed with the Blues in December 2014 to continue his playing career and upon retirement moved into the front office, eventually becoming assistant GM to Doug Armstrong.

CONNOLLY SAYS NO TO TRUMP

If the Washington Capitals visit the White House as part of a tradition for most American championship teams, forward Brett Connolly won’t be attending, he told reporters in Toronto on Wednesday.

Connolly is the second player to say he would decline an invitation, joining forward Devante Smith-Pelly.

“I don’t think it’s the right thing to do,” Connolly said at BioSteel Camp, an annual preseason training session for NHL players and prospects, noting that “it has nothing to do with politics.”

“Everyone is entitled to their opinion,” added Connolly, who is Canadian. “I think there’ll be a few guys not going, too. Like I said, it has nothing to do with politics. It’s about what’s right and wrong, and we’ll leave it at that.”

U.S. president Donald Trump has yet to officially invite the Capitals. Trump cancelled the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles’ visit in June after some players said they would skip the ceremony to protest the president and his rhetoric.

STAJAN TO PLAY IN GERMANY

Veteran NHL centre Matt Stajan is headed to Germany. The 34-yearold from Mississauga has signed with the DEL’s Munich Red Bulls.

Stajan had 146 goals and 267 assists in 1,003 NHL games with both the Toronto Maple Leafs and Calgary Flames. He had four goals and eight assists in 68 games for the Flames last season before becoming an unrestricted free agent.

Toronto selected Stajan in the second round, 57th overall, in the 2002 NHL entry draft, and traded him to Calgary in 2010 in a multiplayer deal that sent defenceman

Dion Phaneuf to Toronto.