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The New Jersey Devils selected Martin Brodeur 20 th overall, in the 1 st round of the 1990 NHL Entry Draft. The 6’2” 210 pound goalie from Montreal, Quebec, previously played three seasons for the St. Hyacinthe Lasers of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL). During 1992, Brodeur played 4 games in the NHL for the Devils and earned 2 wins and only 1 loss. Brodeur spent all of the 1992-93 season with the Utica Devils of the American Hockey League, and played in 32 games, registering 14 wins, 5 ties, and 13 losses.
The 1993-94 season would see Brodeur not only become an NHL regular but also take over the reigns as the starting goalie for the Devils. He played in 47 games that season recording 27 wins, only 11 losses, and 8 ties along with a 2.40 goals against average and 3 shutouts. Brodeur also played in 17 playoff games and only let in a measly 1.95 goals per game. Because of his outstanding rookie season, Brodeur won the Calder Trophy as NHL Rookie of the Year and was also named to the NHL All-Rookie Team. The 1994-95 season was one that no Devils fan will ever forget. Led by Brodeur, the Devils would win their first Stanley Cup in franchise history. Brodeur played in 20 games and registered 16 wins and only 4 losses. His goals against average was an amazing 1.67 and he had 3 shutouts. If it wasn’t for Claude Lemieux’s heroics, Brodeur probably would have won the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP.
During the 1995-96 season, Brodeur played in an amazing 77 games for the Devils winning 34 games. Brodeur led the NHL in minutes played with 4433 and also had 6 shutouts. In 1996-97, Brodeur once again carried a heavy workload playing in 67 games and recording 37 wins, 14 losses, and 13 ties. He led the NHL in goals against average at 1.88 and also shutouts with 10. He played in the 1997 All Star Game, won the William M. Jennings Trophy for least goals allowed in a season, and was also named to the 1997 NHL Second All-Star Team at seasons end. Brodeur also scored a goal in the 1997 NHL playoffs against the Montreal Canadians. The 1997-98 season would start a remarkable stretch that would see Brodeur lead the NHL for the next four seasons in wins. It would also mark the start of a seven-year stretch that would see him play in a minimum of 70 regular season games. That season, Brodeur, for the second year in a row, won the William M. Jennings Trophy and was named to the NHL Second All Star Team. The 1999-2000 season would see Brodeur once again backstop the Devils to the Stanley Cup Finals where they defeated the defending champion Dallas Stars. Brodeur once again elevated his play in the playoffs recording 16 victories in 23 games and posting a 1.61 goals against average. Brodeur scored his second career goal during the 1999-2000 season. The 2000-01 season would mark another return to the Stanley Cup Finals for the Devils, this time however they lost in the seventh game to Ray Bourque and the Colorado Avalanche. Brodeur posted 15 wins in 25 games. In 2002, Brodeur would have one of his fondest memories of his hockey career in backstopping Team Canada to the Gold Medal in the Salt Lake City Olympics. With all of Canada cheering him on, Brodeur posted a ridiculous 1.80 goals against average and never lost in the 5 games he played in.
The 2002-03 season would finally see Brodeur receive some of the recognition he has long deserved when he won the Vezina Trophy as Top Goaltender in the NHL. Brodeur won 41 games that season and posted a .914 save percentage. Brodeur once again led the Devils on a playoff march, which culminated in them being crowned Stanley Cup Champs for the third time in his career. Brodeur led playoff goaltenders in wins with 16, while posting a goals against average of 1.64, and seven shutouts. He also won the William M. Jennings Trophy for least amount of goals allowed during the regular season and was named to the NHL First All-Star Team.
During the 2003-04 season, Brodeur won 38 games and posted 11 shutouts. He was named to the NHL First All-Star Team, won the Vezina Trophy for the second year in a row as well as the William M. Jennings Trophy.
During his career, Brodeur has been an NHL All-Star during the following seasons: 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003, and 2004. He has posted over 30 victories an NHL record 9 seasons in a row. Brodeur has started in 128 consecutive post-season games, second all-time to Patrick Roy who started in 136 consecutive games. Martin Brodeur is arguably considered by many to be the best goaltender in the history of the game.
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