Brodeur recordsWith Martin Brodeur’s 104th career shutout Monday night, the NHL has a new undisputed Mr. Zero.
Brodeur, 37, has surpassed an NHL standard once believed to be insurmountable, Terry Sawchuk’s 103 shutouts. Glenn Hall’s consecutive complete games played mark (502) is now the lone modern goaltender record that will never be neared, although Tony Esposito’s 15 shutouts in 1969-70 also looks safe.
In honor of Brodeur, arguably the game’s best-ever goaltender, we present his 10 most impressive NHL records.
10. Career shootout wins, 33
There are many out there who hate the shootout, saying it’s akin to settling a baseball game with a home run derby. But Brodeur’s shootout victories have meant 33 more points for New Jersey over the past five years.
9. Wins in a season, 48
New Jersey won 49 games in 2006-07 and Brodeur was the goalie of record for all of them save one. This record is skewed towards the post-lockout era because of the shootout, but it’s in the books and Brodeur owns it.
8. Consecutive 40-win seasons, 3
In the 92-year history of the NHL, the 40-win plateau has been reached only 39 times. Brodeur did it three years in a row coming out of the lockout and would have done it again last season if not for sustaining a biceps injury, which limited him to 31 games.
7. 40-win seasons, 7
Brodeur’s seven 40-win seasons account for nearly 20 percent of the NHL’s all-time total. He’s on pace to reach the mark again this season and extend the margin to five between himself and second place in the category (Terry Sawchuk, Jacques Plante and Miikka Kiprusoff).
6. Shutouts in one playoff season, 7
Brodeur was nearly unbeatable during the 2003 playoffs, allowing just 41 goals in 24 games and finishing with a 1.65 goals-against average and .934 save percentage. The Devils beat Anaheim for the Stanley Cup, but Brodeur’s foe at the other end of the rink, Jean-Sebastien Giguere, was awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy as post-season MVP.
5. Consecutive 30-win seasons, 12
Consistency has been the key to Brodeur’s greatness. Yes, you need a consistent team in front of you, but successful NHL squads are built from the crease out.
4. Games played, 1,032
Brodeur passed Patrick Roy in this category Dec. 18 while defeating Ottawa. Prior to last season and his biceps injury, Brodeur had played 67 or more games in 12-straight seasons.
3. Most minutes played in a season, 4,697
Brodeur holds three of the five top spots in this category. In 2006-07, he passed his own mark from 2003-04 (since bested again). Brodeur played 78 games in ’06-07, the same year he set the record of 48 wins.
2. Shutouts, 104
The latest (if not the greatest) of Brodeur’s career marks. He has averaged a shutout every 9.9 games, not the best ratio in history, but pretty darned good. He topped out at 12 in 2006-07, a number bested only three times since the 1920s.
1. Wins, 580
According to NHL.com and the NHL Official Guide & Record Book, Brodeur passed Roy in this category last season with his 552nd victory. Purists are waiting for Brodeur’s 552nd regulation or overtime win (he needs five more) to officially pass him the torch. But with the way the Devils are playing, that will come sometime in the next two weeks.
The THN.com Top 10 appears Wednesdays only on TheHockeyNews.com.
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