UNIONDALE, N.Y. - Guess who was rooting hard and having a good old time watching Martin Brodeur turn back the clock Saturday when the Devils blew out the Islanders 6-1 at Nassau Coliseum?

Cory Schneider, the fellow who has turned the Devils' legendary netminder into a backup at age 41, that's who.

Who knows what Schneider really is thinking in regards to Brodeur possibly being moved before Wednesday's trade deadline? Maybe the Devils' new No. 1 goalie secretly believes a deal would be best served for everyone, but that's definitely not his public stance.

Asked about Brodeur possibly playing his last game as a Devil, Schneider said, “We don’t know what's going to happen, so you don’t want to write a eulogy before anything does happen.

“You know, there are far worse things than having two very good goalies on the same team heading into a playoff stretch here.”

Schneider, who will start for the eighth time in nine games and 14th time in 18 games at home Sunday against San Jose, says it will be a sad day for everyone associated with the Devils if Brodeur is moved.

“If something does happen, I've only been here a short time, but even for me it's clear what he means to this team and this franchise and this area,” Schneider said. “I'm sure it would be strange for a lot of people if he weren't here anymore.”

Schneider and Brodeur are competitors, but they've had a friendly relationship all season long. It started the moment the Devils attempted to deal for a new franchise goalie during last year's NHL draft at Prudential Center by trading their first-round pick to Vancouver for Schneider.



"Marty texted me the day of the trade, which was nice," Schneider said. "I didn't expect that. He just said, 'Congrats and welcome.' He's been accommodating and welcoming. I think we've gotten along very well. It's been great."

Schneider is appreciative that Brodeur, regarded as the best puck-handling goalie ever by a mile, graciously has offered tips in this area.

"When you have a resource like that, you try to take advantage of it," Schneider said. "Marty's got to worry about his things, so I'm not going to bother him all the time or ask him every single detail. But he's been around this long and done as well as he has for a reason. It would be short-sided of me not to try to take advantage of that."



In turn, Schneider showed respect by saying Brodeur deserved to start the Devils' Yankee Stadium game – the franchise' first outdoors - even before that decision had been announced by coach Pete DeBoer.

Schneider been admiring Brodeur way before becoming his teammate.



"Sure," he said. "I had a poster of him on my wall. I had a bunch of guys up there ,,, Guy Hebert, Patrick Roy, Marty. Obviously, Marty was a guy who for the past 20 years redefined the position. I think any young goalie coming up watched him and marveled what he was able to do."

Schneider has been impressed with Brodeur's professionalism the last month.

Until Saturday, Brodeur played just two periods in 41 days, the first two periods of the outdoor game, a 7-3 Rangers win.

Along the way, the trade deadline has been creeping in.

Brodeur has the final call on a trade with a no-move clause included in his two-year contract, which expires after the season. After Saturday's game, Brodeur said he's uncertain what he'd do if a trade is worked while adding that his final decision would be determined by where he'd be going and whether he'd get to play more.

Schneider's following the whole situation closely, and he feels for Brodeur.

"He's been itching to play," Schneider said. "I know you guys (in the media) are just doing your job, but he's had to sit here and answer questions every day about what's going to happen. He doesn't know. He's answered the questions and I'm sure he's a little tired of it."