This morning, I saw Devils goaltender Martin Brodeur on the ice for the first time since he tore his left biceps tendon on Nov. 1 against Atlanta.
Although the Devils had announced that there would be no morning skate today, I suspected Brodeur might be at Prudential Center today and stopped by on the way home from the airport. Brodeur was among a handful players who skated and worked hard during the 40 minutes he was on the ice.
I would love to tell you that I was able to sit down with Brodeur afterward and ask him how his recovery is going and get all the details, but I can't. Apparently under orders from above not to speak to the media, he politely turned down my request for an interview as he walked off the ice and back to the team's practice locker room.
"I'm not available for some reason," he said. "Sorry about that."
So, I can't tell you what Brodeur is feeling and thinking, but I can tell you what I saw.
Brodeur looked sharp as he was peppered with shots from all angles by head coach Brent Sutter, assistant coaches John MacLean and Tommy Albelin, and left wing Jay Pandolfo, who will be a healthy scratch again tonight. No one held anything back and Brodeur showed no signs of rust or problems with his left arm. Many of the shots were aimed at his glove side and he threw up his left arm without hesitation or limitation to snag pucks out of the air.
Brodeur tore his distal biceps tendon stretching out his left arm in an attempt to make a glove save against the Thrashers on Nov. 1. He had surgery on Nov. 6 to reattach the tendon.
Brodeur took a few breaks during the workout to rest and it appeared he still needs to build up his conditioning after going more than two months without skating. He was cleared medically to resume skating on Jan. 21 and started facing soft shots shortly after that. He has been facing full-speed shots for more than a week now.
As I reported earlier this week, Brodeur has targeted the Feb. 26 home game against Colorado for his return to game action.
Judging by what I saw today, he does not look far from being ready to join his teammates for at least part of a practice, which would be the next step of his recovery.
"He looks good," Pandolfo said. "This was the first time I've seen him skating and he looked really good."
***
In case you were wondering, Brodeur was wearing his "new" mask with the MB30 logo on it.
First reply?
http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=408261 <- Avery was put on waivers.
Posted by: kstatik | February 07, 2009 at 06:23 PM
TG, I trust your judgment. It sounds like he only needs to get his lungs in shape.
Posted by: Captain Cornholio | February 07, 2009 at 06:24 PM
Great news! Glad to hear Brodeur looked good facing full speed shots.
Posted by: Matt McNaught | February 07, 2009 at 06:26 PM
YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: mikeschoenf | February 07, 2009 at 06:27 PM
HEY NOWWWW!
Posted by: Andrew | February 07, 2009 at 06:28 PM
Tom, Many thanks for the Marty update, looking forward to having the #1 between the pipes soon.
PS- Nice finish with the mask remark....you knew that question was coming from all the bloggers. Cheers
Posted by: zman | February 07, 2009 at 06:31 PM
Tom you rule!
Let's hope we see Marty very soon. If the 26th is accurate it can't get here soon enough.
I know this is very wishful thinking and would never happen but I would love to see him step on the ice Monday against the Rags and really put a shock into an already fragile team.
Posted by: Jeff | February 07, 2009 at 06:40 PM
Change your mask MARTY!!!!
Posted by: YEAHw/e | February 07, 2009 at 06:41 PM
OLD mask Mart!
Posted by: coachdunlop | February 07, 2009 at 06:51 PM
please go back to the old mask Marty
Posted by: Matt | February 07, 2009 at 06:54 PM
Get rid of that mask it is a curse
Posted by: Matt Block | February 07, 2009 at 09:32 PM
I don't think the new mask is a curse, I just don't like it as much as the old standard. Either way, I look forward to dropping some bucks on the record setting win night! Marty's Better!!!!! lol
Posted by: Mike | February 07, 2009 at 09:47 PM
DITCH THE FREAKING MASK!
Thank the Lord everything is normal so far.
Posted by: modnarm | February 07, 2009 at 09:57 PM
this is awesome news. who cares about the mask - all i care about is Marty's health and ability to play at the same level he was before this injury!!!!
Posted by: JT | February 07, 2009 at 10:29 PM
He just gets on the ice to face some shots and now we loose white! This mask is a curse I tell you!
Posted by: JOsh | February 07, 2009 at 11:14 PM
not the new mask! NO!!!
Posted by: chico1 | February 08, 2009 at 03:16 AM
Great to hear - looking forward to seeing him back.
I've linked your post today at http://inGoalMag.com
Posted by: David Hutchison | February 08, 2009 at 04:09 AM
Its nice to hear i'm not the only one who doesn't like the mb30 mask. I also think its cursed
Posted by: MCL298 | February 08, 2009 at 11:02 PM
Not that it would happen, but how great would it be to see him come out unannounced during one of the games on this home stretch? Regardless, whenever he does come back, I would also prefer to see the old mask.
Posted by: Brad | February 09, 2009 at 09:54 AM