NEWARK, N.J. -- Like it or not, there will come a time when future Hall of Fame goalie Martin Brodeur decides to call it a career.
Interpretation - Strangely, Martin Brodeur is getting older, thus he is not related to Mark Recchi, Teemu Selanne or Nicklas Lidstrom.
It even could be at the conclusion of the 2011-12 season, when the NHL's all-time leader in regular-season wins, shutouts, games played and numerous other marks has played the final season of the six-year deal he signed prior to the start of the 2006-07 season. Whenever the inevitable does occur, who takes over between the pipes?
Interpretation - Martin Brodeur will eventually retire, barring he's not related to Brett Favre, in which case he'll retire annually for the rest of his life. When he does retire, another goalie will have to take over.
Will the Devils consider someone from outside the organization? Or do they begin a new era from within?Interpretation - Could Lou Lamoriello talk Tomas Vokoun into signing another bargain deal with the Devils next year, or would Gary Bettman reject that contract?
"Whoever it is, I hope it's (another) Martin Brodeur," Devils Director of Scouting David Conte said.
Interpretation - "Shh...don't tell anyone, but we're working on a Martin Brodeur clone right now. If that fails, we'll sign another goalie and make him change his name to 'Martin Brodeur.'"
While that's highly unlikely, Conte has been pleased with the play of the goalies looking to make their mark at the team's rookie camp here this week at AmeriHealth Pavilion.Interpretation - It's really hard to clone people, but that second option has some possibilities...
Perhaps one of the four goaltenders in attendance, including Jeff Frazee (second round, 2005), Scott Wedgewood (third round, 2010), Maxime Clermont (sixth round, 2010) or Keith Kinkaid (free agent, 2011), one day will fill that huge void along the goal line.Interpretation - Barring the development of time machines, one of these goalies will eventually be a Devils goaltender.
"Goalies are funny … you never know when they're going to come forward," Devils General Manager Lou Lamoriello said.Interpretation - "Goalies make me ever-so-slightly crack a smile, and sometimes they're even good, too. Just as the Fly...okay, never mind."
"But we've been extremely pleased with Clermont and Wedgewood. They both had very good years with the teams they played for. I know (goalie coaches) Chris (Terreri) and Jacques (Caron) have been very impressed by them."
Interpretation - "If one of these guys turns out to be good, the league might think we embellished some sort of stupid rule. But we'd never do that."
"Goalies take a lot longer (to develop) than players … I've come to realize that," Wedgewood told NHL.com.Interpretation - "Goalies aren't really players."
Three rounds after targeting Wedgewood in 2010, the Devils added Clermont, marking the first draft since 1997 in which the franchise chose two goalies, when they selected Jean-Francois Damphousse in the first round and Scott Clemmensen in the eighth.Interpretation - The Devils drafted two goalies in one draft. Look at how well that worked last time they did that.
"I want to play in the NHL; that's why I'm here and that's why I wake up every day," Clermont told NHL.com.Interpretation - "Growing up in Quebec, we are failures if we don't become NHL goalies, especially NHL goalies that collapse in big games."
Clermont, born in Brodeur's hometown of Montreal, went 30-10-5 with a 2.55 GAA and .896 save percentage in 2010-11.Interpretation - Clermont was born in Montreal. There may or may not have been another NHL goalie or two born there before.
"They have to continue to build, just as Marty did, just as Mike Dunham did, just as Corey Schwab did, Chris Terreri and Sean Burke. The beauty of hockey is you're only as good as yesterday, and every player that understands that is well ahead. If he's looking for the destination, he better worry more about the journey."Interpretation - Over the years, we've developed Martin Brodeur and a ton of other guys that have played goal for the Devils.
The 24-year-old Frazee is the oldest of the four goalies at camp this week. In 33 games with Albany in 2010-11, he went 11-15-3 with a 2.90 GAA. Despite being a veteran of rookie camp, the Edina, Minn., native is grateful to still be in the mix of future prospects within the organization.Interpretation - The Devils have an "old" goalie that's 24 years old. That isn't supposed to make Dwayne Roloson feel old, is it?
"I go into every training camp expecting the best out of myself and I look forward to camp every year," Frazee said.Interpretation - "I keep showing up to prospect camp, but they never promote me. It's as if they have a decent goalie already."
"It was kind of overwhelming when the Devils signed me (April 18)," the native of Farmingville, N.Y., told NHL.com. "The Devils were my favorite team and I have always admired Martin Brodeur … I wore his number (30) at Union. It's unbelievable to be a part of an organization so close to me and one I grew up watching."Interpretation - "I grew up near Islanders country, but don't tell anyone that, okay?!"
