When he's at his best no one's better. He showed everyone how good he is when it counts most last spring, letting up three goals in the last three games of the Eastern Conference Finals, letting up a combined two goals in the three OT Game 5 and two OT Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Finals. If Brodeur wants to bump his way up to the great of greats, join the so rare three-time Cup winning goalie's table, he must show everyone again. For all the talk about Patrik Elias and Scott Stevens, Brodeur remains the Devils unquestioned superstar. He is the guy the franchise is built around, the player even miserly general manager Lou Lamoriello understands the hidden vaults will have to be opened for soon.
Responsibility goes with that status.
I don't think there's been enough talk about Marty in this series. There has not been much talk because for the most part Brodeur's been a nonfactor. Consistently good, rarely great. Brodeur has yet to threaten to enter the Leafs' psyche the way Curtis Joseph hovers in the back of the Devils' minds. Brodeur must be better than Joseph tonight.