Marty's Better!

I loved seeing the crowd chant "Marty's better!" at the end of the New Jersey Devils victory over Chicago last night, which put Martin Brodeur at the top of the heap of the winningest goalies ever!

Martin Brodeur - and the NJ Devils organization as a whole - has been someone I have always admired since I first saw him during his rookie season in 1993-1994. Watching Marty and then his teammates cutting out the net from the goal last night was really cool to see! Martin Brodeur has had opportunities over the years to leave New Jersey and go across the Hudson to New York and elsewhere for more money. But Brodeur loves being a Devil and the level of efficiency that the Devs are run. Doing more with less is what the New Jersey Devils are all about. They don't try to have an all-star at every position or buy, buy, buy up free agents. They do it the right way - by building through the draft, a key trade here or there and maybe an inexpensive free agent here or there.

Is Brodeur the greatest? He's got 552 wins (and counting) and the N.H.L. changed the rules a few years ago because of Brodeur's unprecedented puck-handling ability. For me, with the game on the line there's no one else I would rather have between the pipes than Martin Brodeur.

The reason is simple: Marty's better!