Martin Brodeur is coming back home.
The former goaltender, who became a household name by leading the New Jersey Devils to three Stanley Cup titles in his 21 seasons in New Jersey, will be named the team’s executive vice president of business development on Wednesday, a source told ESPN.
“Being involved in the hockey side is a bigger commitment than being a player,” said Brodeur, who spent the last three seasons on the hockey business side for the St. Louis Blues, last as assistant general manager. “You are on the road a lot. I have an 8-year-old at home and was seeking more stability.”
Brodeur’s day-to-day responsibilities are unclear, but Brodeur – who will be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in November – insists its a business position and not a move in any way to the front office.
Devils owners Josh Harris and David Blitzer have been known for their cultivating of relationships with their team’s past stars beyond normal alumni relations work, actively involving team legends like former defenseman Ken Daneyko at events. The two also own the Philadelphia 76ers, where Julius Erving and World B. Free are mainstays at games.
But, for Brodeur, who is one of five Devils players with his number retired and has a statute outside the team’s Prudential Center home, will have a position that will go way beyond meet-and-greets.
“Building organizational excellence is really important to us and that requires elite talent and great people,” Harris said, in a statement. “Marty is an incredible person and a leader whose success extends far beyond his legendary accomplishments on the ice. He is someone who truly understands and embraces the type of winning formula we’re continually developing in New Jersey.”
The Devils made the playoffs for 13 consecutive seasons from 1996-97 to 2009-10. But have struggled on the ice recently. Their appearance last season in the Stanley Cup playoffs was the first in five years. They exited in a first round loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning, whose general manager is Steve Yzerman, one of Brodeur’s playing contemporaries who is on the hockey side. But they also have one of the league’s most marketable stars in left winger Taylor Hall, who, this past season, became the first Devils player to win the Hart Memorial Trophy as the league’s MVP.