WRIST SHOTS: YOU CAN'T FILL MARTY'S SHOES (SKATES)

After watching yet another Marty Brodeur shutout (his 88th), this time at the hands of the Rangers the other night, it made me realize that we're watching history here (all dozen or so of us that are watching). There might not be another goalie like him in our lifetime, and possibly ever. I've seen him play in person dozens of times, but he's been so good for so long you tend to take him for granted. I have to go see him at least once before they move to Newark, which is not coincidentally the exact time I'll stop going to Devils games.

So far this season his numbers are astonishing, even for him. On the stats leaderboard there's nothing but his mugshot staring back at you, as he leads the league in every major category right now: wins (28), GAA (1.99), SV% (.929) and shutouts (8, while his season best is 11--and he was 0.8 seconds away from one against the Isles). For those naysayers out there that say "well, he doesn't get any shots on goal because his defense is so good", he also leads that category (1241 shots allowed, more than Luongo in the same amount of games). Sure, the Devils D is good (though not as good as the Stevens/Daneyko days), a disciplined squad that usually doesn't leave rebounds that opposing players can hammer home. (Oh, and by the way, he averages 24.76 shots per start over his 13 year career, which sounds about average. For reference, Hasek has faced 27.98 shots per game.)

Yes, I'm a Devils fan and probably always will be (in case you haven't guessed). But you have to admit that Marty Brodeur (ESPN helpfully points out is pronounced "MAHR tai bro DOOR"--is that like a Mai Tai?) is one of the best, regardless of the "system", the "defense" or the "organ-eye-zay-shun". Get used to this mug shot: