The Hockey Hall of Fame Class of 2018 was announced today and to the surprise of almost no one, Martin Brodeur will now be taking his rightful place in Toronto.
Marty goes in in his first year of eligibility and was about as much of a shoo in you could get. He will be joined by five other new members when he goes in officially at the enshrinement ceremony in November. They are Builders Gary Bettman (the NHL Commissioner from 1993 to present) and the much-deserving Willie O’Ree (who broke the NHL’s color barrier back on January 18, 1958 with the Boston Bruins) and, in the Players category: Alexander Yakushev (a Soviet-era Russian star who won two Olympic gold medals in 1972 and 1976), Martin St. Louis (another first ballot enshrinee who won the Stanley Cup with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2004 after going undrafted by an NHL team) and female player Jayna Hefford (who won four Olympic gold medals for Canada in 2002, 2006, 2010 and 2014). They will also be joined by Maple Leafs broadcaster Joe Bowen, who was given the Foster Hewitt Memorial Award (“outstanding contributions as a hockey broadcaster”) and Larry Brooks of the New York Post, who won the Elmer Ferguson Award “for excellence in hockey journalism.”
Marty will go in as the all-time NHL leader in wins, shutouts, games played, saves, minutes played, 30-win seasons as well as consecutive 30-win seasons, consecutive 35-win seasons, 40-win seasons and consecutive 40-win seasons for a goaltender to go along with three Stanley Cups with the Devils. (All of these stats come from Dan Rosen of NHL.com.) He also has his number retired by the Devils and a statue in front of Prudential Center. He currently serves as an assistant GM and goaltending coach for the St. Louis Blues.
Marty was also one of the greatest puck handling goalies of all time. He has three goals to his credit (including one in the playoffs against the Montreal Canadiens in 1997) and 45 regular season assists (he had 12 assists in the playoffs). In addition, the trapezoid behind the net in the NHL was implemented to curb goalies from stickhandling the puck too much, mostly due to Brodeur’s skills.
Marty also has the Calder Trophy as the 1994 NHL Rookie of the Year under his belt along with four Vezina Trophies (2003, 2004, 2007 and 2008) and five William M. Jennings Trophies (“fewest goals against in a season with a minimum of 25 appearances) won in 1997, 1998, 2003, 2004 and 2010. According to Rosen, Marty also “shares the record for most wins in a season (48) with Washington Capitals goalie Braden Holtby.” Marty did it in 2006-07.
The induction ceremony will take place November 12 in Toronto at the Hockey Hall of Fame. Congratulations to Marty and all of the inductees to the Hockey Hall of Fame for 2018. Marty truly is better on this day.