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A Martin Brodeur sighting in Gatineau? The elder skating with the son’s team to stay in shape

The Olympiques' Anthony Brodeur is thrilled to share the ice with his legendary father. (Ghyslain Bergeron / CP)
The Olympiques' Anthony Brodeur is thrilled to share the ice with his legendary father. (Ghyslain Bergeron / CP)

Stories of NHLers working out with junior-aged players in the summertime or practicing with junior teams throughout the year aren’t necessarily unheard of, but when it’s the all-time NHL wins leader between the pipes, it’s a different story.

That was the challenge facing the Gatineau Olympiques this week as netminder Martin Brodeur is working out with the team, trying to get back into game shape.

Brodeur, 42, is waiting for an NHL offer after the New Jersey Devils, the team where he played all 21 seasons of his NHL career, failed to offer him a contract last summer, making Brodeur a free agent.

Martin Brodeur and his three sons huddle around the Stanley Cup the Devils won in 2003. All three sons skated at Devils' development camp in the summer, and Anthony is drafted by the team. (Charles Krupa / AP)
Martin Brodeur and his three sons huddle around the Stanley Cup the Devils won in 2003. All three sons skated at Devils' development camp in the summer, and Anthony is drafted by the team. (Charles Krupa / AP)

The goalie in the other end? His son Anthony, and the younger Brodeur, 19, is getting a big kick out of sharing the ice with his dad.

“It’s been really nice to be around him these days,” he said. “We aren’t usually together during hockey season, but he watches all our games, and he gets more nervous during our games than his!”

“It’s extraordinary to have a future hall-of-famer here to practice with us,” Gatineau head coach Benoit Groulx told La Presse. “It’s a chance for our players to play with a big star in hockey. He adds another dimension to our practices.”

Anthony doesn’t know why he’s the favoured son in this arrangement. Marty could have easily went to Oshawa and train alongside Jeremy, his younger son, a goaltender with the Generals.

Maybe it has to do with Gatineau’s close proximity to Montreal, where Brodeur has said publicly he would be interested in signing to play second fiddle to Carey Price. Wouldn’t hurt to spruce up the ol’ reflexes in the back yard of les Glorieux, n’est-ce pas?

“I don’t know why he chose to come here,” Anthony said. “It could be his relations with Michel Vallières (the Olympiques’ goalie coach). NHL players train with us regularly.”

Regardless of motive (and really, is it bad if it’s both familial and business?), it’s special when the player is your father, and when the player has more wins and shutouts than any other goaltender in the history of the National Hockey League.

Groulx understands that spending time with family is very important.

“He’s never had the time to spend with his son,” Groulx said. “Now, he has the chance to live this through with him. I’m doing the same thing, as an assistant coach with one of my son’s teams. You have to take advantage of moments like that.”

Marty had a 19-14-6 record last season with the Devils. His son Anthony is 3-3 in six games with the Olympiques this season, his first as a starting goalie with the team.

The Olympiques practices usually range between 8:30 and 10 AM at the Robert-Guertin Arena if you’re in the Gatineau area this week, just sayin’.