I apologize if it's a re-post, didn't see it elsewhere...
Devils' Brodeur Making MVP Noises
By KEVIN ALLEN
USA Today
The only debate about the New Jersey Devils ' Martin Brodeur is whether he is just the best goaltender - or the best player - in the NHL this season.
Brodeur has been the top goalie in USA TODAY's NHL Power Rankings since early January, but he is gaining votes as MVP on the strength of his 36 wins and 11 shutouts. He grabbed two first-place votes from Pittsburgh Penguins star Sidney Crosby and trails him by nine points.
"Before, Marty almost suffered from the Ken Dryden syndrome. Some would say, 'Oh, look at the D he's playing behind,' " former NHL goalie Darren Eliot said. "The league changed the rules, partly because of Marty Brodeur as a puckhandling goalie who could change the forecheck. The salary cap also has taken away the Devils ' opportunity to load up on D. They no longer have that fortress in front of him with guys like Scott Stevens and Ken Danyeko and he's still on top."
Brodeur, 34, has a decent shot at breaking Bernie Parent's 1973-74 record of 47 wins in a season and an outside shot at taking down Tony Esposito's modern-day record of 15 shutouts, set in 1969-70. With 23 games left, he could break Grant Fuhr's second record of 79 appearances and his own mark of 4,555 minutes.
Parent's record occurred in a 78-game season and Esposito played a 76-game season.
Eliot long has been impressed with Brodeur's durability, in particular his ability to stay sharp from wire to wire. Brodeur has said the Devils being situated in the Atlantic Division makes his travel schedule less difficult than some goalies face. Eliot says general manager Lou Lamoriello historically has insisted that the team's travel schedule affords his players enough rest between games.
The new rules have forced Brodeur to alter his approach a bit, but his style hasn't changed.
"He might be the only guy left playing a stand-up first style," Eliot said.
Brodeur has led the league in wins for seven of the last eight seasons. He has been on pace to pass Parent before, but his personal best is 43 wins, set three times.
"If we continue to play the way we have been, he has a chance to (break the wins record)," Devils defenseman Brian Rafalski said recently. "A lot of things have to go right for you, too."
Contributing: Mike Brehm, USA TODAY