If it’s up to him, Martin Brodeur won’t be on the Canadian Olympic Team.
Brodeur, the NHL’s all-time wins leader and a two-time Olympic champion, told TSN 1050 that Canada’s goalies at the Sochi Olympics should be the Vancouver Canucks’ Roberto Luongo, the Phoenix Coyotes’ Mike Smith and the Montreal Canadiens’ Carey Price.
“I think it’s Luongo’s job to lose,” Brodeur said. “He’s had a decent season so far, and I think he should be the one who has a chance to start the tournament.”
It was Brodeur who lost his job to Luongo after three games at the 2010 Olympics. Luongo backstopped Canada to a gold medal, but he has been up and down (mostly down) since, opening the door for several other options.
Canada is loaded with skaters in its bid to become the first nation to win back-to-back Olympic titles since the Soviet era. But its goalie situation is seen as a bit of a question mark.
Brodeur not picking himself is not surprising. He’s 41 and splitting time on the Devils with American Cory Schneider. Two of the best Canadian goalies so far this season, statistically, are the Minnesota Wild’s Josh Harding (5-2-1, 1.00 goals-against average, .953 save percentage) and 2010 Olympian Marc-Andre Fleury (8-2, 1.79, .928).
There’s also the goalie for the reigning Stanley Cup champion Chicago Blackhawks -- Corey Crawford -- and the Washington Capitals’ Braden Holtby, who were invited to an orientation camp in August with Luongo, Smith and Price.
Olympic rosters are due at the end of the year.