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Martin Brodeur hasn't played since being in goal for the first two periods of the Devils' 7-3 loss to the Rangers in the Jan. 26 outdoor game at Yankee Stadium.

(Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

NEWARK - The Prudential Center press box seating chart for the Devils' first game back from the Olympics has a few interesting names:

Scheduled to attend Thursday night's Devils-Columbus Blue Jackets game are two members of the Chicago Blackhawks' front office, director of player personnel Pierre Gauthier and pro scout Dennis Bonvie. Also due to show up is Minnesota Wild assistant general manager Jim Mill.

Interestingly, it just so happens that the Wild and Blackhawks are two teams supposedly interested in working a deal with the Devils for goalie legend Martin Brodeur before the NHL's March 5 trade deadline.

Also scheduled to show up for Thursday's game is Tampa Bay Lightning pro scout Jamie Pushor. His club may be on the verge of dealing star winger and former Hart Trophy winner Martin St. Louis, who reportedly asked to be dealt to the Rangers last month. Maybe he'll settle for just across the Hudson River from Manhattan. Yeah, it's farfetched that the Devils make a play for St. Louis, but the 38-year-old speedster sure would look good in their lineup. In 58 games this season, he has 24 goals and 56 points.

In all, eight clubs sent execs to Thursday's game.

Here are the others:

• Philadelphia Flyers head of pro scouting Dave Brown.

• Pittsburgh Penguins pro scout Don Waddell.

• Dallas Stars pro scout Dan O'Brien.

• San Jose Sharks pro scout Jason Rowe.

• Islanders assistant GM Kerry Gwydir.

No one from the Vancouver Canucks will attend the Devils-Columbus game, so there will be no Ryan Kesler-to-the-Devils trade rumors being drummed up, although the high-scoring U.S. Olympian forward reportedly also has asked to be moved.

The three Chicago and Minnesota execs, who may or may not be in the area for Brodeur, won't see the 41-year-old in action on Thursday, as Cory Schneider will make his seventh start in a row in goal. But that doesn't mean the execs trip to town didn't or won't include face-to-face meetings with Devils President/GM Lou Lamoriello, who doesn't talk about trade rumors publicly.

If the Blackhawks and Wilde execs stick around for a few days, they probably will get to see Brodeur play because Devils coach Pete DeBoer is on record saying he’ll use both goalies this weekend in back-to-backs Saturday afternoon at the Islanders and home Sunday afternoon against the San Jose Sharks.

Whichever game Brodeur plays could be his last in his historic two decades with the Devils.

Brodeur, 41, platooned or much of the season, but now clearly is a backup to Schneider, who has started every game since Jan. 21 except for the Jan. 26 outdoor game at Yankee Stadium.

If the Devils work out a trade, Brodeur has the final decision because he has a no-move clause in his contract.

After Thursday's morning skate, Brodeur said, "Whatever happens, I'm fine with it."

Brodeur, 41, is in the final season of a two-year, $9 million contract and will be an unrestricted free agent after the season. He's unsure if he will retire or keep playing, either with the Devils or elsewhere.

In 28 games this season, Brodeur has a 13-11-4 record with a 2.52 goals-against average, .899 save percentage and three shutouts. A Devils since first reaching the NHL in the 1991-92 season, Brodeur has led the franchise to three Stanley Cups and owns NHL career goaltending records for wins (691), shutouts (124) and games (1,248).

"I think it'll be interesting to see what happens," Devils forward Adam Henrique said.