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NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE MEDIA CONFERENCEOctober 8, 2008Martin BrodeurDAVID KEON: Good afternoon, everyone. I'm David Keon of the National Hockey League's public relations department and I'd like to welcome you to today's call. Our guest is New Jersey Devils goaltender Martin Brodeur. Thanks to Martin for taking the time today to join us and thanks to Jeff Altstadter of the Devil's public relations department for helping to set up the call. Heading into his 16th NHL season, all with the Devils, the four-time Vezina Trophy winner is poised to reach a number of milestones among the game's all-time goaltenders. Having appeared in 968 games in his career, he is three behind Terry Sawchuk and trails Patrick Roy by 61 games on the all-time games played list for goalies. With 538 wins, he trails only Patrick Roy, who had a career total of 551. Marty needs eight shutouts to pass Terry Sawchuk's total of 103, becoming the all-time shutout lead never NHL history. The Devils open their 2008/2009 regular season schedule on Friday when they host the New York Islanders at the Prudential Center, at which time Marty will also be debuting a new mask and also a new website. Thanks, again, to Marty for joining us. We'll open it up for questions. Q. What can you tell me about your new mask and why did you decide to get a new design? MARTIN BRODEUR: You know, we were working on our website all summer, my family and I. My brother kind of came out with a logo. I thought the logo was pretty cool. So I thought that would look good on my mask. So we went out, we kind of Photo Shopped it, put it on my mask a little bit. It's not really a big change. It's really the top of my helmet. I used to have like that New Jersey sign, like kind of without the N on it, 'cause when I got it, I didn't know if it was going to make it or not early in my career. I just kept the flame. Just a little change. I think it was kind of nice. My brother kind of came up with the idea. So it's been nice for him to see I'm doing something there. Q. It doesn't seem to matter who the Devils have in the lineup, every year you guys have been competitive. Probably you have played a big role in that. I wonder your assessment of where the Devils are at as they start this season in competition. MARTIN BRODEUR: Well, I'm really excited about the season. We made some great changes in the off-season through free agency. So it was a place we usually don't go too often. Definitely getting Brian Rolston in our roster and Bobby Holik just puts a lot of guys in their own place, or the depth of our hockey club is great now. We have probably one of the biggest lines in hockey with Rupp, Zubrus and Bobby Holik on one line, over 700 pounds or so. It's something we had in the past with Peluso and McKay when we were successful in the middle '90s there. So it's kind of nice to have that depth again in our lineup. We have this young Finnish defenseman, Anssi Salmela, that made the team this year. Pretty exciting player to watch play, from our standpoint anyway. You know, the chemistry is great so far since training camp started. Big excitement. A lot more stability in our environment with having our own building and the coaches has been here in place for a bit. A lot of good things are looking up. Q. A question about shutouts. You have a lot of them, yet a lot of great goaltenders have half as many shutouts as you. What's the secret to shutouts? Chasing Patrick Roy in terms of wins, what will that mean when you have the most wins? MARTIN BRODEUR: To answer the first question, I mean, playing in a certain organization, for a certain team, I think really helps for shutouts. I think when you have a team that rewards good defensive hockey, I mean, you'll have a chance to have more shutouts. I think not every goalie has the luxury to play in an organization and be stable in one organization like I had the chance to be with the Devils for the last 15, 16 years. So that's definitely one of the key factors. The other question is, you know, for me, whenever I'm going to surpass Patrick, and if I do, it's going to mean a lot. You play hockey to win. So definitely when you're the goalie, to win the most games, it means something. I'll be really excited when it happens. But I've got a long ways to go in my career and won't stop at just that number. Q. Are you a different goalie now than, say, you were 10 years ago, the way you play, the way you prepare? MARTIN BRODEUR: I've changed through the years. I think you gain experience. You kind of know how to play the game, conserve energy during a hockey game, during the season. I play a lot of games, like everybody knows. I take a lot of pride in it. I want to do it as long as I can. Definitely my preparation is a lot different than when I was, you know, 22 years old. That's for sure. Q. The work load you've logged over your career, showing really no signs of slowing down as you've gone into your mid 30s. What is your secret for being able to log that many games played? MARTIN BRODEUR: I don't know. You know, I think every year I play a lot. We always plan on trying to rest me a little bit. We come to these big, tight race to the playoffs. So we always end up playing a lot of games. I kind of enjoy it. I think it's fun. If I have to show up at the rink, I might as well play. I think it's the demeanor. I think it's how I see the game. I'm not a nervous goalie. I don't put extra pressure on myself. And definitely the way that the Devils have been playing as far as the system is concerned, you know, it's pretty rare I'm going to get into these big shootouts with like having to stop, you know, 45 shots one night, travel somewhere else, have to kill 12 penalties. We're a pretty structured team. Games are not maybe as hard as other teams. Definitely when you have a good team year in, year out, I think it makes it fun to play a lot of games. Q. Have you had any talks with Coach Sutter about reducing the number of games you play? If so, how would you feel about the possibility of lightening your work load? MARTIN BRODEUR: If it doesn't impair our chance to make the playoffs, we'll definitely do it. I think that's the bottom line. You know, we're all in this to be really successful. I know I have a great backup in Kevin Weekes. Hopefully we'll be able to take some time off. But I think every year, it seems our conference is getting so tough, to stay on top and have that leeway to relax, there's not many times, like the Detroit Red Wings, that's going to lose 15 like games in a season. It's always a battle. So we'll see. Hopefully I stay healthy. If I'm banged up... I've been pretty fortunate with that, that I didn't have to take as many days off because my body didn't let me play. Hopefully it's going to stay like that. It's always up to the coach to make the decision. It's important for him. He's living with that decision of playing me or not playing me. Q. You mentioned you've stayed healthy for a long time. You're seeing some of the younger guys who use the butterfly a lot either going for or returning from hip surgery. Being a veteran guy that those guys look up to, have you counselled some of those guys about using it less or do you have an opinion on that? MARTIN BRODEUR: You know what, I think the relationship between goalies is not to that point that you would be able to talk to them. I think everybody has to survive, has to play a certain way to be successful or to make the NHL. And so definitely it's weird to see so many guys go down, especially with that one kind of injury. I think everybody relates it to the butterfly. I think it really puts a lot of stress on your hips when you do fall down, when you have to get up. Definitely an awkward position for your legs to be in. But, you know, I never really played that style, so it's hard for me to understand too much like, you know, the strain that the hips could take on some of these blows that they're taking. But, you know, I think, again, you have to respect how people play the game. Some of the butterfly goalies are some of the best goalies in the NHL. Q. If you had a chance to kind of give your opinion about it, having stayed as healthy as you are, would you like to see guys incorporating a little bit less of it? MARTIN BRODEUR: I believe you don't need to be a butterfly goalie to be a good goalie in the NHL. I mean, when you have good mobility and you're able to skate really well, you don't need to go down on your knees all game long. A lot of guys, they have that style of blocking the puck. It's just the way the position has been taught for the last I would say 10 years. Patrick started it when he played. But I think it really got to a different level the last 10 years. Everybody from younger goalies, to companies are making pads for guys playing that style now. This is the way hockey is. It would be really hard to go the other way until they decide to play a different way. Q. You're one of hockey's most decorated goalies. What keeps you going? MARTIN BRODEUR: The fun of the game. I'm having a blast playing hockey. I've been fortunate to play in a great organization. I played for a great country in the Olympics, World Cup, all that. I've had a lot of success. I feel really fortunate for that. But I think just love of the game, being with the team, having success together, going through some adversity together and overcoming them I think is great. I know it's not going to last forever. I realize that. I want to cherish every moment of it. Right now I'm 36 years old and I'm really enjoying seeing the kids, seeing the young guys coming in, having their first experience of playing in the NHL, scoring their first goal. I don't know, it's just a fun atmosphere. I know it's going to end soon, so I want to make sure I enjoy every moment of it. Q. Speaking of kids, do you have any advice for kids at the high school or academy level? MARTIN BRODEUR: You know, I think it's the fun of the game. I think right now you have a lot of young guys that they're drilled to try to make the NHL and see that dream. It's so far away that I think people lose having fun, enjoying what they're doing. It's really what it is. I have three kids. I got two of them are goalies. One is 13 years old. He's getting ready to go to high school next year. That's one thing I tell him all the time, you know, is just to work really hard. I think you have to -- your work habits are the most important thing. But definitely enjoying what you do is what's going to take you to the next level. Q. Since Henrik Lundqvist has entered the league, you and the Rangers have had some heated battles. Knowing the rivalry, what's at stake, do you prepare differently when facing the Rangers more than any other team? MARTIN BRODEUR: Not really. I think that's one thing when you get older. I did when I was younger. I thought the Rangers, I was getting all pumped up. Sometimes I was overexcited and didn't really play my game. Right now I just take it really as another game. I think there's a lot more emotion involved in the rivalry games like that. But I think preparation-wise, I try to do the same because I think it's not good to change. I think you have success a certain way; you got to make sure you do the same thing over and over to recreate that success. So for me, I mean, I think the fans love the rivalry, love to hate the Rangers or love to hate the Devils, whatever fans you are. But, you know, it's still just a hockey game. Q. We know what happened this post-season with Sean Avery. Are you happy he's not coming back to the Rangers? MARTIN BRODEUR: Yeah, that's fine with me. I don't have a problem with that (laughter). Q. Looking back through your career, is there an opening night memory or moment that stands out to you? MARTIN BRODEUR: You know what, it would be my third opening night when we saw our first Stanley Cup banner go up. You know, that for me, I didn't want to miss that game for anything. I was holding out for a contract I think at the time. I'm not sure. I wanted to make sure I came back. Like I had that date in my mind to sign the contract to make sure I was ready to go to play that game and be part of raising the banner. Definitely raising my first banner at the Continental -- well, it was probably the (indiscernible) arena back in the day. Q. When that banner is going up, what's going through your mind? MARTIN BRODEUR: I think chills. You work so hard. You know the thing is going to go up, it's going to stay there forever, and it represents something that you fought really, really hard for. You know, most of the time you have most of your team with you when you see that banner go up. It's quite an experience. Winning the Cup is good, it's great, but that banner, really it's something for your fans and for yourself. So it's pretty cool. Q. What do you think of Roberto Luongo as the Canucks' captain? Have you ever been asked to be the team captain of the New Jersey Devils? MARTIN BRODEUR: I was never asked to be a captain of the Devils. I think it's great for a goalie to be named captain. It's about time that somebody breaks the barrier. I think a lot of the big leaders in hockey are goaltenders. I'm for sure preaching for my things here. You know, I think there's no reason why a goalie shouldn't be one of the biggest leaders in his hockey club. I think it's great for Roberto that the organization feels that he's the guy to bring the Canucks to the next level as far as leadership is concerned. Definitely there's a couple of hiccups there with not having to see, not doing certain things on the ice. But most of the when you do have your goalie as a leader, you have a good supporting cast that's going to help the captain. I played for Scott Stevens, one of the best captains that played the game, and the supporting cast around him through the years was amazing. That's why he became probably one of the best captains that played the game. Q. With 10 consecutive campaigns of 70 or more games played, any plans to play all games and beat the record? MARTIN BRODEUR: I would love to. I don't think it's going to happen. I think that was one of my dreams, to play every game. I love to play. But it's really hard in this era to play every single game. But who knows, maybe it will happen. Q. Do you plan to end your career with the Devils or can you see the possibility to go somewhere else to get more chances for one last Cup? MARTIN BRODEUR: I feel right now that my best chance to win a Stanley Cup is staying with the Devils. My commitment is to stay in New Jersey for the rest of my career. But things change in life, so I'll leave it at that. Right now I'm really happy here and I want to do everything in New Jersey. Hopefully I'll be able to do that. Q. Who throughout your career has had the most impact in terms of maybe goaltending coaches? I know you worked with Strelow early on. As a young guy, who did you emulate or look up to in terms of goaltenders? MARTIN BRODEUR: You know, Jacques Caron has been my goalie coach since I started in New Jersey. Definitely me and him have a special relationship. When I was younger, a guy in Montréal, Mario Baril, was one of the coaches that coached Felix Potvin, Stefan (indiscernible), Roberto Luongo, myself. So we have a lot of good things to say about that guy. He was a great, great guy. Who influenced me was Patrick Roy. I grew up in Montréal. Patrick came in at 18 years old, won the Stanley Cup. He was the icon for any Canadian fan. Especially when you're a young goalie, we all looked up at him, hopefully to emulate him in your career. Q. You're somewhat of a throwback goalie in the fact you play so many games season in and season out. Do you see a trend along the NHL where instead of having a goalie play 85, 90% of the games, you're seeing a lot of 50/50, 60/40 splits playing time between goalies? MARTIN BRODEUR: You know what, I think last year we had a lot of goalies playing a lot of games. I think the trend, you know, was the opposite. I think you'll see goalies play more games now. I mean, with the salary cap, you get goalies that take a big chunk of your cap, you need to play the guy a lot to make him worth it to a certain extent. Ryan Miller played over 75 games. Kiprusoff played a ton. Nabokov, Roberto, myself. We have a lot of goalies playing a lot of games. Even Lundqvist played over 70 games. You have a lot of goalies do that for now. I think they're different athletes. Guys are able to take that load that maybe before was a little different. Q. Going back to your younger days, did you always know you were going to be a goalie? MARTIN BRODEUR: Actually, no. I was a forward when I was really young skating-wise, everything. Just the love of the game brought me to goaltending. Another team needed a backup goalie, so I had a chance to play on two teams. It's a dream come true for a kid that loves to play hockey. And that's really how I became a goalie. I kind of liked it a little bit. The following year, you know, I could have been a forward or a goalie. My coach asked me. I was like, All right, I'll start goalie. I like it enough to try to do this. That's how I became a goalie. Q. And the rest is history? MARTIN BRODEUR: That's it. Made a good decision. Q. Your dad is a noted photographer. Is your brother, who designed your mask, a graphic artist? MARTIN BRODEUR: No. He's a photographer also. But he's big time into computers. He has a couple friends that are graphic. All together they did that. They were putting up this website that's launching on Friday. You know, he's at the head of it, taking care of it. I think when I saw what he did, I was amazed. I didn't expect much about that project. Right now I'm really excited about it. The new logo that I'm going to put on -- that I have on my helmet now is pretty cool. Q. When a player breaks a record, there's a huge celebration on the ice, sometimes they stop the game. A little different for a goalie winning the game. How will you feel when you actually break Patrick Roy's record and how will you celebrate it? MARTIN BRODEUR: Well, I'll be really excited. There's no doubt about it. I could happen in a game, in a blowout game, it could happen in an overtime game, it could happen in a shootout. I don't know how I'm going to react. I know I'll be really excited. You know, I never really broke any records at home since I've been playing. Every milestone I got, everything was on the road. Maybe it will be nice to do it at home if I'm able to do that. But, you know, I don't know. I think it's something that it happens and you react a certain way. People around you react a certain way. We'll see what it is. Q. If it's a shootout, it will be a bit of a nail-biter? MARTIN BRODEUR: Exactly. DAVID KEON: Thanks very much for your time. End of FastScripts |
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