This isn’t much of a news flash, but from here on out for the New Jersey Devils it’s going to be Martin Brodeur’s job to try and lead them to a Stanley Cup.
Devils coach Peter DeBoer, however, has the job of trying to make sure his backup goalie Johan Hedberg can get a game or two in and stay sharp. Rich Chere of the Star-Ledger hears it from DeBoer about how he’s going to figure out his goalie rotation down the stretch, something he hasn’t decided on how to do just yet.
“You want to be playing well systematically,” DeBoer said of the team. “You want your team to play tight, so to speak, all over the ice. And then the second part is to make sure that you’re fresh and healthy. You juggle those things.
“You want to be winning games, obviously, too. But for me it’s more that our team game is tight and we’re healthy and fresh.”
The Devils have six games left including tonight’s tilt with the Penguins (which Brodeur will start) and finding time to get Hedberg in there and give Brodeur a little bit of rest before the playoffs is important. Brodeur isn’t the young workhorse he used to be and the Devils’ success hinges upon how fresh he is for the rigorous playoff run.