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Martin Brodeur's start against the Islanders will be his 1,454th for the Devils (playoffs and regular season).

(Jerome Miron/USA Today)

UNIONDALE, N.Y.— After 1,454 regular season and playoff games over a span of 22 years, Martin Brodeur has come to grips with the fact that Saturday afternoon's start against the Islanders at Nassau Coliseum could be his last appearance for the Devils.



"Yeah, a little bit. I'm going to enjoy tomorrow as much as I can," Brodeur said after the Devils' 20-minute practice on Long Island.



The NHL trade deadline is at 3 p.m. Wednesday and it is likely Cory Schneider will be in goal for the two games before then. So if Brodeur is willing to waive his no-trade clause and general manager Lou Lamoriello decides a deal is appropriate, the curtain might very well come down on the 41-year-old goalie's Devils career.



"He's been the common for me here over the years, but I understand the situation," said Patrik Elias, the longest-tenured Devil after Brodeur. "Whatever the decision is, nobody can take anything away from what he has done for this organization. Hopefully it won't be the case that this is going to be his last game. If it is, I understand where he's coming from."



Schneider, who will play against the San Jose Sharks Sunday at Prudential Center, said it would be strange to see Brodeur traded. In fact, he'd like to see him stay.

“Of course. You never want to see teammates leave. You grow as a group,” Schneider said. “This is a tough time of the year, the part of the business when sometimes friends and teammates get moved.

"Marty is big part of this team and has been forever. I'm not sure there is any player as synonymous with the franchise as Marty has been or is. So it wouldn't be just anybody leaving this team. It would be the most important player in the franchise's history. It would be difficult for everybody, but that's kind of what happens. I didn't think I was going to get traded and I did. It happens. It could happen to anybody."



Brodeur has played just once since Jan. 18. He was pulled after the first two periods in a loss to the Rangers on Jan. 26 in Yankee Stadium and Schneider has started the last seven games.



Factoring in the Olympic break, Brodeur has played only two periods in the last 41 days. And it feels like it.

"Yeah. It's been a while. There's not much I can do. I'm well-prepared to play," Brodeur said. "The game situation is where we'll have to make the adjustment as we go. It's still hockey.



"It's like I won the Stanley Cup and it was a short offseason and I'm getting back at it."



Interestingly, Brodeur does not think his situation will change—either the possibility of a trade or a change in the Devils' goalie rotation—no matter how he plays against the Islanders.



"No, I don't think so," he said. "It's just another start. I'm trying to give a win to our team. That's the way I approach it.

"Unless it's a Game 7, games are games. Just try to do the best you can. Some days it's good and some days it's not as good. I don't feel it's going to change something for me.

Especially with the situation I'm in."



Coach Pete DeBoer felt differently.



"Absolutely. We need to win as many games as possible," DeBoer said. "I'd love for both of them to get on a roll so that we can use both guys. That would be the perfect situation."



The perfect situation for many would be for Brodeur to post his 125th career shutout and remain with the Devils. But that may not be in the cards.



"If I play Sunday and hopefully play well, I'm not sure what's going to happen," Schneider admitted. "I'm not sure what (Brodeur) is thinking, but it will be good to have him back in there. I know he's been itching to play for a while and we all have a lot of trust in him. He's a gamer and he'll be ready to go."



Brodeur said there will be extra anxiety.



"No. All my career I've tried to approach hockey games the same way," he said. "(Just) because it's a different situation, I won't feel differently about it. I'm always excited to get in between the pipes and do what I do."



Even if it's the last time with the Devils.

* * *

Brodeur was struck in the elbow by a Ryan Carter shot during practice but said he was fine.

“Just a little stinger on the elbow,” he said.

The Minnesota Wild could be the most likely destination if Brodeur is traded. Darcy Kuemper is the Wild's goalie. Josh Harding is out with MS and Niklas Backstrom is believed to have a sports hernia.

DeBoer said he isn't thinking of Saturday's game as if it will be Brodeur's last for the team.

“I don’t. You never know what this week brings," the coach said. "I’ve learned that over the five or six years I’ve been in the league. It’s just wasteful energy to worry about that. I like how we played last night. My only focus is on trying to get another game like that.”