Martin-Brodeur-SHindash.JPG

Devils goalie Martin Brodeur, who will test the market as a free agent, wants to play more than he has this season.

(Saed Hindash/The Star-Ledger)

Regardless of what happens with the Devils over the next two weeks, Martin Brodeur is committed to testing the market as an unrestricted free agent on July 1.



He is "80 percent sure" he'll play next season and he hasn't ruled out staying with the Devils.



"I'm not closing (the door) here at all," Brodeur told The Star-Ledger. "It will be a decision I'll make after offers are brought to me. It might be July 1st or it might be way after July 1st.



"It all depends on what is on the table, whether it's in New Jersey or somewhere else. I'm open-minded about it. I'm looking for specific things some teams probably can't give me. And that's understandable at my age. But if I feel I can play and people want me, we'll see."



Brodeur, 42 in May, says unequivocally that he wants to play more than he has this season. He's started 36 of the club's 74 games. Yet the Devils, if they hope to keep Cory Schneider happy enough to sign him beyond next season, could not make that promise to Brodeur.



Realistically, would the Devils want Brodeur for another season?



"I don't know. That's for them to make a decision on that. I can't talk for what the organization wants to do," he said. "But for me, I've played here my whole career, so I'm always going to favor here.



"There will be 30 teams out there. There are teams that have zero need for a guy like me, but maybe there are teams that do. Until I look at it, I won't make a decision and I'm in no hurry to make it."



His requirements are simple.



"I'm not going to sit more than I sit this year. That's not something I want," Brodeur said. "If I come back, it's not a question of money. It's because I still love it and I still enjoy the game.



"And I want to be in a position to have another shot (at winning), no matter what role I'm in. To me it would seem empty to leave without having a chance of winning something. Hopefully it will be this year and that will change a lot about my decision and what I'm going to do in my future."



He admits retirement is still a possibility.



"Yeah," he said. "I'm leaning towards coming back but I can't say definitely because if I don't find something that I'm excited about, I might just say, 'That's enough.' But I'm not leaning towards it at all. If anything, it's more like 80 percent I'll come back."



His youngest son, Maxime, will be a major factor in his decision. His three older boys are all teenagers (Anthony is 18 and playing junior hockey), but Brodeur wants Maxime to have a memory of seeing him play in the NHL.



"I have my little one I have to consider because he's so into it. For me to play an extra year would mean more memories for him," Brodeur explained. "Every day I see it. He asks: 'Who do you play? The Islanders? Where are they from?' He calls the Coyotes the Wolves because (the logo) looks like a wolf.



"It's kind of nice to have that again. I did it when I was young, having that relationship of my kids seeing me play and hopefully having that memory. These are all things I'm dealing with in my decision-making. I want to take my time and make the right call."



Brodeur figures five or six years old is the age when kids form memories. Maxime is four years and four months old.



It seems Brodeur's best chance of playing another season is elsewhere before he likely comes back to the Devils and moves into the front office, perhaps as assistant GM. But wouldn't playing for another team tarnish his career?



"Players have done it before," Brodeur said. "You know what? Wayne Gretzky is always going to be remembered as an Oiler or a King. Ray Bourque is always going to be a Boston guy. Luc Robitaille, even though he played for six different teams, he's always a King. You always get attached to the team you had the most success with."



And so he waits to see what will happen in these final eight games and then in July.



"People say to me, 'You should retire.' But it's about me, because when it's over it's over," Brodeur stressed. "When it's done, you cannot play anymore and it's hard for players to let go if you feel you can still play and if there are people who trust that you can do it for their team.



"I have to be able to feel I can still do a good job in the right situation. I'll take my time after the season. I'm in no hurry to make that decision. I want to be in a situation that I'll be happy with, regardless of whether it's here. I don't want to go into it and, two months later, regret that I came back. That's why I want to make sure it's the right thing to come back."

* * *

The Devils, who host the Florida Panthers Monday night at Prudential Center, had Sunday off.