I've said this before but as BayWatch continues going nowhere, let's consider that one of the greatest athletes in history has played within a frisbee's throw of midtown and nobody cares.

Most wins, most shutouts, three cups.   You do that on 33rd street and you're a folk-hero.

Martin Brodeur is the MVP of the decade

Throughout the week, NHL.com is presenting a look at the best players, top teams, biggest moments and greatest achievements during the first decade of the new century. The selections were made by a panel of NHL.com writers and other hockey experts. Today, we look at the MVP of the decade.

Martin Brodeur already was among the NHL's goaltending elite at the start of this decade. Ten years later, the New Jersey Devils' netminder is alone at the top.

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Tonight, the greatest goaltender of them all goes for number 552.  

It's amazing what a difference eight miles makes.  I've said this many times before, but if Marty and his three championships had played in the Garden, there would be a statue of him in front of Penn Station much like the Rocky statue.

Marty would be Derek Jeter on skates.   Mark Messier summer of 1994, before he decided he wanted to be a Canuck.  

Instead, the good Lord made him a Devil, so he toils in relative obscurity.  Not as obscure as he'd be if he were a Blue Jacket, but at least if he were Mr. Blue Jacket he'd own the town.

Instead Marty has his parades in the parking lot.

As amazing as #552 will be, with years left in his career, it's easy to forget that his numbers are diminished in the same way that World War Two cost Ted Williams and Joe D some big numbers.

Mike Battaglino broke it down in the Post the other day.   What if there had been a full season in 1994-95?  What if there would been a season in 2003-04 at all?  Mike makes a good case that Brodeur would have 611 wins by now.  

Hopefully A-Rod won't fall down a flight of stairs, or Jeter won't catch a cold so that Marty can have the back page to himself tomorrow.

Congratulations Marty!   Some day #30 will hang in the rafters.  Hopefully the rafters will still be in New Jersey.




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Good luck to Marty & The Devils as they embark on another season.

Martin Brodeur is one of the all-time hockey players, and arguably the best goalie of all time.

He had the misfortune to play for a franchise nobody cares about, and at a time when hockey did some stupid things such as not playing a season (that will hurt your career stats) and the even stupider move of not starting the 1994-95 season on time.

On 1994-95 for a second:   the Rangers had won the cup and the NHL had a network deal with Fox.  Hockey was cool and sexy, and Fox was excited to push the NHL as hard as they pushed NFL.   Starting that season in January killed all of the buzz and the elague never recovered.    (Not keeping Messier on the Rangers didn't help).

Meanwhile during 15 years of the NHL wandering thru the desert, Marty has won three rings with three coaches and a different supporting cast.   He will wind up with most of the career goalie records.  

If this guy were a Ranger there would be a statue of him outside the Garden.

Enjoy him while he's around and remember that whatever team is playing the Rangers is the team I am rooting for.