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NHL STADIUM SERIES: DEVILS v RANGERSJanuary 25, 2014Martin BrodeurNEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: Practice Day Q. Marty, can you talk about what it means to get the start tomorrow? MARTIN BRODEUR: I'm happy to play a game. It's been a while. It's been over a week. Kind of a little different setting to do it. But it's exciting. I think this organization has been talking about it for a few months now, since we got the call that we were going to play in this game. So definitely to be a part of it, you know, and playing the game, definitely happy about that. Q. So much is made of playing outdoors, what's your fondest memory of playing pond hockey? MARTIN BRODEUR: I think there's a lot through the years, when I grew up in Montreal, for us we took it for granted. Like every time I finished school, I was going out to the park and playing hockey until it was dinnertime. And kind of squeezing in my homework in between two hockey sessions. So I grew up like every day doing that. So for me, they're great memories, but it was not once‑in‑a‑lifetime that I did it, you know. Q. As a goaltender reflexes are key. Is there a difference perhaps in playing indoor, more temperate conditions as opposed to outdoor, sun glare, cold, in terms of... MARTIN BRODEUR: It's going to be a bit different, there's no doubt. I think it's nice to have a practice at least to have a feel for it. But I think the bigger thing for me was the glare. That was kind of hard, looking up. And it was not even sunny. So regardless what kind of sky we're going to have tomorrow, we'll definitely have to adjust it a little bit. But apart from that, hockey is hockey. Everybody's in the same boat. Q. Do you wear sunglasses? MARTIN BRODEUR: No. I got those whatever it is black things under my eyes. I don't think it works, really. It hurts when you take it off, too. Q. You kind of‑‑ you heard what this could be like, and you saw pictures. But when you finally stepped out of the dugout and looked around, what went through your mind? MARTIN BRODEUR: It's just an unbelievable setting. I think with TV and all of the big Winter Classics the NHL put together, players have an idea. But until you come in, step on to the field, step on to the ice, it's pretty amazing. Really excited to be part of this. Q. You spoke a little bit about playing outside in the glare and stuff. But a lot of people over the years have mentioned like questioned the perspective, like the distances are different. Did you find that to be true? MARTIN BRODEUR: I was looking for that a little bit. But I didn't feel there was a big problem. Maybe some of the drills we had, they didn't really have to follow the puck like outside the zone or guys skating into our zone. But I didn't see that to be a problem. So we'll see. Q. Marty, how anxious were you about whether you'd start this game? And Cory was pretty nice about it last night, basically saying like you deserve to start. How helpful is that just that he said... MARTIN BRODEUR: I don't make the decision. I would have accepted it one way or the other. They decided to go with me. So we're in a situation that sometimes we get these games that means a lot to different people for different reasons. And I guess they felt it meant a lot to me and they put me in. Q. (Off microphone)? MARTIN BRODEUR: The relationship has been great. I don't think‑‑ there's nothing to gain to be mad at something like that. So I didn't expect him to be a lot different than he's been all year. He's been great. Q. Coach talked about the pictures in the locker room. Can you reflect on the fact that in goaltending, you are possibly the Babe Ruth of the sport. Seeing those players in there, can you reflect on that? MARTIN BRODEUR: I've been living here for 21 years, 20 years here in the New York area, so I know what the Yankees mean to the people around here and what he means to the world of sports and all the great players that went through this organization. And so for us just to be in the locker room, you know, we're just hanging out where they eat, where they‑‑ it's pretty cool. It's a good feeling to be in this building and playing the game of hockey. But it's something that growing up, the Yankees were the Yankees. Even though you're not a baseball fan you know who the New York Yankees are. Q. This isn't the original ballpark here but is there any sense of comparison to the Montreal Forum and this basically being the forum of baseball? MARTIN BRODEUR: I guess so. I think if you're a big baseball fan, there's only a few stadiums you'd love to play in. And you're going to remember all your life and Yankee Stadium is one of them. So to be the first hockey game to be played, for us it's pretty exciting. Q. As much of a show this is going to be and fun this is going to be, it's an important game, and there's two big points on the line. Can you talk about blocking out a lot of that stuff and just focusing on what really matters, the two points in the standings? MARTIN BRODEUR: You have to. I think it's a big event for everybody that's in the organization coming to you about this event. But at the end of the day, we're just playing hockey. It's fun, it's great, but we're not really here to put a big show on. We just want to play hockey, play good, solid hockey and try to get two points out of it. We're in a tight race with a lot of teams in our division and our conference. So these points are really valuable. But you've got to take time to enjoy it. You've got to look up once in a while and see where you're at and take it in. I mean, who knows‑‑ I know it's going to be my last one, probably. But a lot of the players here, it's probably maybe if they stay in New Jersey going to be their last one, too, outdoors. So they've got to take everything in. Q. This sense and the coach expressed it, too, that you deserve to start because of what you've done and who you are, does that flatter you or not so much? MARTIN BRODEUR: Not so much. I mean, it doesn't matter to me. I mean, I've done what I've done. I want to deserve to play because of the way I play now, not what I did in the past. Q. You mentioned the eye black. Do you have anything else you're wearing extra that you normally wouldn't wear? I think you had the thing around your head and everything like that. MARTIN BRODEUR: I took some layers off. I must have got too scared of the cold. Ski mask, had to take it off. Had some gloves, gloves in my catching and blocking hand, and I took them off. I had a couple of T‑shirts. And I might go down to just one. It wasn't that bad at all. It wasn't bad, actually. Q. At this stage of your career, to be able to play in a game like this, can you talk about the importance for you and the excitement for you being able to play in that? MARTIN BRODEUR: I'm really excited. This is fun for me and my family, to be part of this. Like I said, I've watched a lot of them through the years and I never guessed that the Devils would be in one. And here we're going to play tomorrow. So I'm really excited about it. It's going to be fun. It's going to be good memories, hopefully. Q. You mentioned this could be, quote, the last one for you but do you think this is one that should be an annual event in New York; is that something that would be good for the industry, raise the franchise for those in the marketplace? MARTIN BRODEUR: I think it's a great idea to have these games outdoor. I think it brings a lot of interest around the United States and Canada to not just in the New York area, but when you have rivalry games, our fans are able to come in and there's plenty of space to have their own fans. So they're fun. Again, it takes a lot to put these things together. So I don't know if the NHL is ready to go out and do this over and over. But I mean, it's definitely something that fans really appreciate and the players love to be part of it. Q. (Off microphone)? MARTIN BRODEUR: No, I have no clue. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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