I posted some of the highlights earlier of what Martin Brodeur said after his first practice with the full team today. The main thing was that he's a week to 10 days away from being ready. Devils coach Brent Sutter said don't expect anything until after the team gets back from its three-game road trip, which ends on Feb. 21 against the Islanders.
That puts him in line to have his first start on Feb. 26 against Colorado, which is what I first reported as the target back on Feb. 3.
Some of you seem to be misinterpreting that Sutter is holding Brodeur back, so I figured I'd post everything Brodeur said today, so there is no confusion. Although he said he would be "comfortable" playing Sunday, he knows he's not ready.
(Below: video from the end of today's practice. Sorry if it's a little shaky. If you miss the beginning, click on it again when it ends and it will start over.)
There was one time today when Brodeur fell back and used his left arm to stop himself from falling and felt it.
"That’s why, I guess, I’m not ready." Brodeur said. "I know from little things like that."
Although the full team practiced today (other than Brendan Shanahan), practice lasted for only about 25 minutes and Brodeur had to split time in one of the nets with Kevin Weekes while Scott Clemmensen had the other net to himself as he prepared for Sunday's game against San Jose. Brodeur remained on th ice for another 15 minutes after the main practice was over and took some shots from Bobby Holik, David Clarkson, Mike Rupp, Jay Leach and Jay Pandolfo.
Here's how Brodeur's informal meeting with the media went today. I'll be updating as I add more quotes. I've bolded the questions and the quotes I thought were the most significant.
Were you nervous for your first practice with the full team?
"No, not really. I knew was not going to get as much work in practice time. They said we were going to practice only for 20 minutes, so I said, 'All right. I'm going ot have to some work after.' So, I wasn't really nervous. I was anxious to get going and see the speed of the shots, speed of the guys. It's totally different than just making drills when guys are coming at a high pace. That's why I need to practice, just to get used to that. It was good."
After the first series of shots, you went into the corner and were laughing with Jacques (Caron):
"He was counting all of my bad rebounds, so I was like, 'We're starting early with that?'"
Through the process of your recovery have you had any setbacks?
This one time -- I don't think I was on the ice yet -- doing some of my rehab, I tweaked it pretty hard. It was the first time that I broke scar tissue, so that panic. I was like, 'Oh my God!' And that was catching a lacrosse ball. We stopped right away and put ice (on it). I talked to (the doctor) and (he) was like, 'Don't worry about it. It's going to happen. It's going to happen often too. It was first time really that I pushed it because I was feeling good, (thinking) 'It's not bad.' I was going and going and reached out a little bit and I felt it. Then, for two days it was like tender. Then, when I did that, my mobility, the flexibility in my arm kind of got better, five, 10 percent. I was like, 'All right. I'll try to hurt it again.' It's easy to get to that point. When you tweak it once, it scares you a little bit.
"It's going to happen again. I'm sure. Sometimes I move, I feel it and I kind of stop. So, I'm still worried about it a little bit, but eventually that's going to go away. Every day I feel less of what I'm able to do out there. It's just going to be a process of doing it so the muscle memory is going to come back. Right, I stop here. Actually, when a guy misses the net or misses their shot, I feel more than when they really shoot the puck."
Beyond your left arm, what else do you need to work on to be ready physically to play?
“It’s hard. Until I start practicing full practices, I’ll see how I felt before and how I feel now. I feel really good. Physically, I feel really good. I’ve been working real hard. So we’ll see what the future will bring. But technique a little bit, just with reaction to the pucks doing stuff with Jacques and telling what I’m doing wrong and what I do (well). It’s easy to practice when nobody tells you’re doing and you’re just doing it for conditioning. I couldn’t care less about my conditioning now. It’s how I play the game. Conditioning will come with playing the game. That’s not a problem. For me, it’s my technique and what I do, my habits, stuff like that.
“But I’ve been working hard. (Team strength and conditioning coordinator Mike Vasalani) has been working me really hard with specific stuff for me when I get on the ice, so my back is not sore and my legs are strong. I think we’ll be fine for that. It’s just a question of technique and getting back in the rhythm of things.”
Did any shot or anything that happened cause you to think of your injury?
“It was smooth sailing. Just that one time I fell back and (reached back with his left hand to stop his fall) and just the shock. You feel it a little bit. You start protecting it a little bit. You use your shoulder. In a game, I won’t be able to do that. That’s why I guess I’m not ready. I know from little things like that. It’s easy for me to stop doing something, but when there’s a puck there, my mental (approach) won’t let me stop. It’s going to go. And now I don’t have that yet.”
Will you go on the road trip with the team (Sutter said later that he definitely would)?
As of now, I think I am. I've got to practice. Even though there's not much practice scheduled. I think the guys that are not playing, the guys that are working out, just seeing pucks is better than sitting at home and riding the bike and execising.
"I'm getting back in the swing of things. It's a matter of a week of a week or maybe more, 10 days, that I'll probably back and I just want to get back in the rhythm also."
When you say, "a week to 10 days", is that for playing in a game?
"If they let me. I'm going to tell them I'm OK and after that I don't know when they're going to put me in. They're going judge me in practice and see how I look and if they feel that it's OK, I feel in a week to 10 days I'll be able to tell them I'm good to go, hopefully."
How did it feel to be back with the guys on the ice after doing all of that work on your own for the last three months?
"It's been nice to be around the guys. I've started to do my homework again, watching TV and watching the shootouts. I kind of stopped for a while because it got boring a little bit. Now that I'm coming back soon, I want to get back in the groove when I do play hockey."
What can you say about what Scott Clemmensen and Kevin Weekes have done while you've been out?
"It's great that they were able to contribute the way they did. It was a lot of pressure to a certain extent on them, not knowing how they're going to perform without me there. There's always that question mark. It took a little bit, but when everybody got healthy, we had our team and they came in and played extremely well, not just not making them lose, but winning games by themselves also. That was impressive. They did a great job keeping the pace and it was nice to see. For me, it was an important thing that when I get close to being back my team is in good position, so you don't feel the pressure. 'Are you ready? Come on. Let's go.' Now, it's, 'They're going fine.' Let them play until I'm able to be 100 percent. For me, I hoped it was going to happen like that, but it did."
You said you want to come back play every game. Brent Sutter said you wouldn't be an every-day goalie at first. Is there a conflict there?
"I expect to do it. I don't expect them to do it for me. I want to play and if I have to show up somewhere I'd like to play the game. I've been like that all my life and I don't think I'll change. If that's going to happen, that's in the hands of them. I've never forced anybody to play me ever and I won't start now. That's just the way it is. That's my personality. If people like to believe it or not, that's the way it is. I really never push anybody to do something. I'm just going to tell them when I'm healthy and I'll play the amount of games that I'm entrusted to play."
Are you surprised how well the team has done without you?
We have a good team. That's one thing I was really comfortable about, the team we had in front of us. Sure, the expectations, nobody (expected this). If I expected (the team) to be that good, people would have (said), 'What are you, crazy?' Nobody could have expected that, to be that dominant the way we've been, winning 12 out of the last 14 games. It's a tough thing. Everybody else, San Jose, didn't do it. Since Jan. 1, we're the best team in the league. You don't expect stuff like that to happen, but it's definitely nice to see guys coming into their own, offensively. We scored a little more goals than we did in the last I don't know how many years. It's great. And defensively we caught up to all the top teams (the Devils are fourth in the NHL in GAA). That's a trademark of ours, but now when you combine it with more scoring, you're winning games and you're not winning them by one-goal games all the time live we'd been doing in the past. We're winning games by three goals, two goals, 5-1, 6-1. We never had that before. It's good for our team to experience, to be able to put teams away in the third period or whatever so that we don't have to go down to the wire all the time. We did that yesterday (in a 1-0 win over Boston), but for the most part we've been able to be more dominant than that."
Have you noticed the team playing different without you?
"We've done that in the past. It's not something new that we fought fire with fire. When we had Jason Arnott and (Petr Sykora) and (Patrik Elias), that's what Robbie (Ftorek) was doing, that's what Larry (Robinson) did. We had two years of that -- 2000 and 2001. So, you play with what you have. Right now, Zach (Parise) and Travis (Zajac) and Jamie (Langenbrunner) are standing up their game to extend it. They're responsible enough players to be able to do that and Patrik, who is having an unbelievable year also, is doing the same. He found his niche with (Brian Gionta) and (Dianius Zubrus). Everything is working out well with the depth of our team.
"You've got a player who you think he was going to be your top player (Brian Rolston) and next thing you know he got hurt a little bit and he can't get back to where he was supposed to be slotted. He's playing the power play, but he's on a differnent line than the top two lines. It's just to show how deep we are. Everybody is paying the price to a certain extent and getting slotted into certain areas, but everything is going to pay off to be a successful team. When you have a lot of depth, you can't keep everybody happy all the time."
What drills today have you the best taste of game speed?
"It was mostly the up and down because when you do drills with two or three guys they get tired after one shot. But when you get the gut that shoots every minute or so, these guys go all out and it's something that I didn't face yet. When these skate by me and you feel the wind coming at you, (you think), 'All right. He's skating pretty fast.'"
Was it strange alternating in net with Weekes today?
"It is a little bit. I feel for him a little bit not getting enough work. Well, I hope he's getting enough. It it was it is. I've got to get back playing, so it's going to be like that for a couple of weeks."
How will you feel watching Claude Lemieux play Sunday?
"It's nice. I'll have a smile when I watch the game. I know him really well. He's come a long way from retirement to come back to this level. It's impressive. There's not too many people that would be determined like that and come back at that age (43). I've got to give him credit. It's pretty cool."
Are you going to play at age 43?
"I don't know. Now, with my bionic arm, maybe. I don't know."
Do you think there are other goaltenders in the league that might already have partial tears of their biceps tendon and might be headed for the same injury as you?
When you look at the older goalies with me, Weeksie and (Olaf) Kolzig, that it happened to, You see it in football. You see it more than before. There's tons of stories about why it happens. If you look up on the internet, you look at pills people took. There's tons of things that could happen and why, as far as if it's painkiller. It could be different things.
"I'm sure there is some goalies that have it, but you don't feel it. That stress, since I'm six years old, this is what I've been doing repeatedly (throwing up his left arm to catch the puck)... For goalies, you never really saw it. How many times do you overtextend or someone runs into you or you fall back. Who knows?
Do you think if you played fewer games -- 57 or 67 instead of 77 -- that might have prevented this injury?
(Laughing). Is that what you guys want? I'll do it. Answering that question, I think it's ridiculous. To think that If I cut 10 games a year, I would be all right. I don't think that makes any sense at all."
Goalies stand on their feet the whole game. Do you have to build up your stamina to do that again?
"We've been doing a lot of work for that, for my lower back and my legs, just to make sure. That's the fatigue part. Most of the time it comes like that because you're standing up for so long in a game and your back and everything has to be healthy and in shape. That's different drillls I've been doing with (Vasalani). It helps me out. I don't feel any weakness now, but I haven't done a scrimmage yet or just hang out there for a long time. That's going to be part of me getting back."
What do you want to be the next step in your development?
"I'm fine with what I'm doing now. It's going to come whenever I feel good enough."
Will a scrimmage be the next step? What do you want to do next?
"Whatever they want me to do. I'll do anything they want. I'm comforable to go into a game if I had to tomorrow, but I know I'm not 100 percent and that's why I'm not going to do it. But I'm comfortable doing it. That's why I'm saying my next step is whatever they give me. Whatever they way. But I feel comfortable enough, strong enough. I was doing the power play (today). It was the first time I was able to push guys around with my glove. Zero pain. But I know I'm not ready. Shooting the puck is still a ways away for me. I've got a couple of little things in my game (to work on).
"But let's say everybody goes down. All right, I'll go if something happens."
So, if Clemmensen gets sick and something happens to Weekes Sunday..?
"I don't think I'm cleared to play anyway. They would have to put a defenseman in. I don't know what my status is (on injured reserve). Chico (Resch) is ahead of me right now (on the depth chart.)
Hey TG, I remember you posting something in early November with Clemmer saying something along the lines that if he made one more dollar on his AHL salary, he would have had to clear re-entry waivers to be called up and because he cleared waivers to be sent down to the AHL in the beginning of the season, he would not have to do so again this year. If that's the case, where's the goalie controversy everyone's talking about? Sure Clemmer is playing great and deserves a shot, but, worst case, can't we just assign him to Lowell when Marty comes back?
Posted by: Steve | February 14, 2009 at 06:19 PM
i would love to see chico back in net. i love that guy.
Posted by: todd | February 14, 2009 at 07:03 PM
Great stuff TG. Really appreciate it.
Posted by: Berger | February 14, 2009 at 07:13 PM
Good interview TG, funny quote about Chico.
Posted by: Pat D'Amico | February 14, 2009 at 07:28 PM
i love the song that we celebrate goals to, im just wondering if people know its origin.
Gary Glitter, 1972ish- amazing video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xd44PWZGzg
Posted by: Ray | February 14, 2009 at 07:45 PM
gary glitter is funny as hell.. that video is amazing
Posted by: 95NJ00DeviLs03 | February 14, 2009 at 08:47 PM
Has anyone heard a rumor about Sutter resigning at the end of the year? They were just talking about it on HNIC. They said he can't handle being so far away from his family...
Posted by: McJags | February 14, 2009 at 08:56 PM
that sutter rumor was made up from some bootleg newspaper. he said he reevaluates himself after each year and will do so again after this year, after we raise the cup.
Posted by: Ray | February 14, 2009 at 09:26 PM
Massive interview, thanks TG, you are the man...
Posted by: ronmexico3 | February 14, 2009 at 09:41 PM
I wouldn't want Chico back in net, but only because he's even better with Doc up in the booth broadcasting the games. Chico rules and huge congrats to him on the NY Emmy nomination. Well deserved!
I don't think it can be stated enough how gracious we are, and I think I speak for everyone, for all the great reporting TG. I check this site religiously for Devils information. What is even better is that it gives us much better insight into all the little things you'd never hear about in the paper. Hearing Marty joke around probably wouldn't make the paper since you are so limited on space and have to fill it with facts. Its really all the stuff a die-hard fan loves to hear and has wanted to for a long time. Thank you also for raising questions directly related to our comments, such as asking Marty about there being a possible conflict with him saying he is wanting to play every game compared to Sutter's comments.
As for Marty, if he does play the 26th, then I feel bad for the rest of the league in 12 days when they realize the current dominant Devils team with a goalie who started the year in the AHL is going to be switching back to the greatest goaltender in the history of the game.
Posted by: DevsFanInTX | February 14, 2009 at 09:46 PM
yes great point, TG theres no amount of thanking that can show how amazing this site has been for us. i enjoy how most of the people here are educated hockey fans. i usually read everyones comments and there are rarely people who speak nonsense. this is an invaluable news source. hopefully TG is being handsomely rewarded.
when i saw that picture of marty on the ice a few days ago i almost wet myself.
Posted by: Ray | February 14, 2009 at 09:56 PM
bionic arm, classic lol
Posted by: Bill | February 15, 2009 at 12:03 AM
WITH VIDEO NOW!!! You are amazing! First pictures, now video. wow.
Posted by: modnarm | February 15, 2009 at 01:42 AM
I'm very impressed and happy that pictures and video have been added to this blog.
I imagined that it would occur one day; glad Lou and co. have green-lighted it all.
It seems the communication policy with the media and fans has been evolving this season, and It's very nice that you get to take advantage of that.
Bravo to all.
Posted by: Craigwell | February 15, 2009 at 09:16 AM
Lou had nothing to do with this.
Posted by: TG | February 15, 2009 at 10:13 AM
To Steve:
Re-entry waivers (to be called up) works differently than plain waivers (to be sent down). Waiver eligibility has to do with age and NHL experience. Clemmensen is over 25 and is more than a year removed from his first NHL contract--so he qualifies for waivers. 1 way or 2 way contract status has nothing to do with whether a player has to clear waivers to be sent down.
Re-entry waiver eligibility does relate (at least partially) to whether a player has a 2way contract, and how high the AHL salary is. If the AHL salary is above a certain amount, the player has to clear re-entry waivers.
Posted by: Hoosier | February 15, 2009 at 10:40 AM
keep the vids coming!
Posted by: devsrule7 | February 15, 2009 at 11:11 AM
Thank god we got Rock n Roll pt 2 back.
No more of that Ole' Ole' crap, and that "Kernkraft 400" musical abortion.
Seems like the Devils like hearing gary glitter more as well, so they score more often.
Posted by: Ben M. | February 16, 2009 at 10:37 AM