In under 2 days, a 22-year affair comes to a close for Marty

NEWARK — 

Martin & Anthony Brodeur

Two more days.

That’s it.

Two more days.

In two days, there will still be a Brodeur within the Devils organization, but his first name is Anthony. In two days, Martin becomes a free agent and with that, a 22-year relationship comes to a close.

It is hard to believe how quickly that time has gone by. Because by chance, on March 26, 1992, I was fortunate enough to have been at the Brendan Byrne Arena to see Marty’s first-ever game played in a Devils uniform -- against the Boston Bruins.

We’d chosen, my friends and I did, to go to the game against Boston because it was one friend’s birthday on 26 March -- and another friend was heading to Boston College in August of 1992 to begin his freshman year of studies there. So what better opponent to see the Devils play was there than the Boston Bruins?

We were hoping to see one of our all-time favorites play that night -- Chris Terreri. But we were disappointed. Terreri was a scratch, as was the backup that night (I want to say it was Craig Billington -- but I am not 100% sure).

When long-time PA announcer Bob Arsena announced the scratches, we couldn’t help but wonder: Who the hell was going to start in goal if both regular goalies were scratched?

As it was, “And starting in goal, No. 29 -- Martin Brodeur.”

Martin who? No. 29 what?

We were all stunned that night -- and disappointed.

Marty wasn’t even in the 1991-92 team photo,
despite playing in 4 games and 1 playoff game.

But not when the final buzzer sounded. Because that night, March 26, 1992, we saw history -- and had no idea we were seeing it. It was the first-ever win for Martin Pierre Brodeur. Brodeur made 24 saves on 26 shots en route to a 4-2 Devils win.

Scoring for the Devils that night were, get this, Tom Chorske, Claude Lemieux, Randy McKay and Kevin Todd. Ironically, three of those guys would still be around to win a Cup with Marty just three years later. Who would have known.

Amazingly, the Devils did not dress a backup goalie that night (I know this from looking back at the boxscore). I wish I could find the attendance that night because I am sure there are a lot of people who claim to have been there that night who really weren’t. But if my memory serves me, there were around 14,000 on hand that night.

Marty went 2-1 that year playing in four games. He relieved Terreri in one playoff game against the Rangers that year, and wound up getting the loss (don’t remember which game it was). But it was the beginning of a career that is coming to a close in two days.

I really wish Marty had gone on a goodbye tour with the Devils ala Marino Rivera, but I also understand he really kind of wants to get 700 wins before he retires. And who are any of us to say “You really shouldn’t want to work, Marty.”

But the reality is his career here is done -- and man were we ever blessed and lucky to have witnessed it -- and to have taken it for granted.

All those winter nights when 11,000 people showed up at the old arena -- we took for granted Marty would be there.

All those spring nights in the playoffs, we took for granted Marty would be there.

Those three glorious nights -- Game 4 of the 1995 Finals, Game 6 of the 2000 Finals and Game 7 of the 2003 Finals -- we took for granted Marty would be there.

For in reality, back then, we couldn’t think of a time where Marty wouldn’t be there, because he always was. And when he was, rarely, if ever, did he disappoint.

Now as he leaves us, perhaps as it seems now for Toronto, maybe he gets one more chance to win a fourth Cup. And play in front of a packed house every night. Yet for 22 years, he was ours.

It will never be the same again sans Martin, but to paraphrase an infamous quote from Sam Rosen, of the MSG Network, the memories of Martin Pierre Brodeur will, indeed, “Last a lifetime.”

Thank you, Martin, for all the thrills you brought to us over the years.

I cannot wait until that night in 2015 or 2016 when you sweater gets raised to where it belongs -- right along side Nos. 3, 4 and 27.

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