Blues grant Brodeur leave of absence

Veteran goalie to take week to ponder future

By LOU KORAC
HAZELWOOD, Mo. -- The Blues announced late Wednesday afternoon that goalie Martin Brodeur has been given a one-week absence from the team.

Brodeur, 42, will rejoin the team that that time and his future will be addressed then. The Blues and Brodeur will not address the issue until he returns.

Brodeur, who holds multiple NHL records, is 3-3-0 with a 2.87 goals-against average and .899 save percentage, which includes the 125th shutout of his career, one of the records Brodeur holds.

(St. Louis Blues photo)

Goalie Martin Brodeur (30) receives congratulations from Vladimir

Tarasenko after shutting out Colorado on Dec. 29.

With a healthy Brian Elliott back in the fold, and Jake Allen back up and running, it was becoming clear that the Blues were going to have to come to a conclusion at some point moving forward about carrying three goalies.

Brodeur will be given the time to reflect on his future and which direction he wants to go in. He joined the Blues when Elliott was lost for roughly a month with a knee sprain sustained Nov. 25.

Brodeur last played Jan. 2, a 4-3 loss to the Anaheim Ducks in which he stopped 29 shots. 

Prior to joining the Blues Brodeur spent his entire 21-year career with the New Jersey Devils. He signed a one-year contract worth a pro-rated base pay of $700,000 that included playing bonuses. Those bonuses include $10,000 for every point the Blues earn with Brodeur in goal as well as roster bonuses of $100,000 if he's on an NHL roster February 1 and on March 1 as well as playoff bonuses.

But the market for him has been dry thus far and Brodeur recently addressed the issue of perhaps being traded somewhere else may be too much to handle in one year.

If this is the end of the line for Brodeur, he will finish with 1,266 regular season games played and a record of 691-397-49 with 105 ties, 125 shutouts, a 2.24 GAA and .912 save percentage.

He's played in 205 career playoff games and is 113-91 with 24 shutouts, a 2.02 GAA and .919 save percentage.