You know it’s a slow news days when media outlets are grabbing hold of a classic non-story such as Martin Brodeur saying he would consider joining the Montreal Canadiens (when the unsigned goalie would probably consider joining any team at this point).
You know it’s even slower when media outlets are still running with it despite it coming from the same reliable agency that mere days beforehand had to retract an entire story alleging Sidney Crosby got arrested by Ottawa police (when the Pittsburgh Penguins confirmed he was in Colorado).
Giving News a Bad Name
The simple truth of the matter is the Brodeur story making the front NHL page of TSN’s website (it was still there a day after the fact on Saturday) is embarrassing for a variety of reasons. That the least of which is its source serves as even more indication it’s not worth your time.
(Of course, this particular piece is; Just keep reading… please?)
This news is not controversial. This is not even news. This is a 42-year-old goalie whose play has dropped off significantly over the past few years (I wonder why) presumably being asked if he would take a job backing up Carey Price if it was offered to him.
That the team in question plays in his hometown is of little consequence. If anyone were in his shoes, they would probably take a job backing up a truck into a parking space if the price were right (no pun intended).
The Real Controversy
Add into the mix actual context and the report becomes all the more laughable. Price just finished fourth in Vezina Trophy voting last season and has not one, but two potential back-up goalies under contract in Peter Budaj and Dustin Tokarski.
In this day and age, a save percentage of .915 is what separates the good (not even the elite) goalies from the average ones. One of .900 typically separates the mediocre from the bad. In each of the past two seasons, Brodeur’s was .901. Budaj, who wasn’t even worthy enough to start for the Habs against the New York Rangers this spring, getting leapfrogged by Tokarski, had one of .909 in 2013-14.
In fact, considering how well Tokarski played against the Rangers during the Eastern Conference Final this past spring (.916 save percentage), the Habs arguably already have one more back-up than they’d like.
Why would they want to add another? To complicate things further for Michel Therrien when he has enough trouble putting together his lines in a consistent fashion? For the publicity that comes with signing a future Hockey Hall-of-Fame goalie when the Habs already sell out every home game and would likely do the same if they were to ice a team of chimps in hockey-mad Montreal instead? Please.
In fact, Montreal wouldn’t as, based on the article, general manager Marc Bergevin has not even contacted Brodeur this summer, making the article seem like a plea for attention by Brodeur more than anything else.
Truth Be Told
Don’t blame Brodeur here, though. All he did in all likelihood was answer a question candidly and in diplomatic fashion. Truth be told, Brodeur actually even admitted that the Canadiens are “Carey Price’s team.” There’s just no room for a personality as big as Brodeur’s at this point. However, he is as much the victim here of bad reporting as the fans, who were probably misled into reading another one of QMI’s so-called stories.
That isn’t to say the Crosby one was completely fabricated. It’s that the Brodeur one might as well have been, because, even if it’s true, it’s still completely irrelevant.
Brodeur hey ? Is that not the guy that spit on Montreal his whole carreer ? Now that he can’t find a job, he would consider being backup in Montreal. Not a chance big guy, nothing to see here, move along. The last thing that this team needs is his superiority complex on the bench or in the room. No thank you very much.
The thing is, I’m pretty sure he still doesn’t want to play in Montreal. It was just something he said in an interview to appear diplomatic. If someone asks you if you would consider playing for a given team, you’re generally going to say you would so as not to piss anyone off. You’re not committing to anything, after all. You’re just saying, “Sure, I would think about it.” That’s essentially all he did here. The reporter and writer is the one to blame for making it appear like anything different. It’s not like he saw a QMI reporter on the street and ran up to him and said, “Hey, know what? I want to play in Montreal.” This is what happens in sports journalism. Reporters ask incendiary questions and when athletes bite they frame their stories in such a way that the athletes volunteered the information candidly without provocation.
I agree that Montreal doesn’t need him, nor do a good 25 other teams in the league at least, but I also believe he has a right to still want to play. If he wants to keep looking in the false hope he’ll find a starting position, good on him.
We here at Habfans.com took a fan poll about this topic, here are the results.
Are you in favor of Martin Brodeur playing for Montrea;??
Yes-72%
No-28%
How many people responded? I’m curious.
In any case, I’m not so sure it would be a good fit considering how Cory Schneider, despite being the vastly superior goalie, oftentimes took a back seat to Brodeur last year. It would very much likely be a different situation in Montreal, where Price would be the clear-cut No. 1. However, in what world does Montreal need the distraction. Brodeur has said he’s still looking to be a starter. I don’t think he’d be comfortable playing only 10-15 games. Add into that the fact that Montreal already has Peter Budaj and Dustin Tokarski under contract, both of whom are arguably superior to Brodeur at the respective stages of their careers, and it all doesn’t make any sense.