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Martin Brodeur, 16 years after becoming the Devils' No. 1 goalie, says the NHL lockout reinforced his desire to play.

(Photo by Saed Hindash/The Star-Ledger)

As the NHL lockout dragged on for more than three months, Devils goaltender Martin Brodeur was once again reminded that he is going to miss the game when he eventually hangs up his pads.

Retirement isn’t even a thought — at least not yet.

"I missed it a lot, not being able to compete and not being able to be with the guys," Brodeur said Tuesday. "The first few months for us I think was a little different because we went so far (in the playoffs). I thought, ‘Okay, this is good. We’re going to have another month to recover and get back to where everybody else was.’

"But it got old quick. To me, it just told me I’m not ready to leave this. This is too much fun."

With all that has been lost by the players and owners, Brodeur said "it would have been crazy" had the entire season been canceled.

"Even if they’d have canceled this season I would have come back" in 2013-14, he said.

Every game is precious to the 40-year-old goalie, particularly because he has lost almost two full seasons of his career through no fault of his own. Lockouts cost Brodeur half a season in 1994-95, a full season in 2004-05 and another half-season this time.

He tries to shrug it off as best he can.

"It’s part of the era I’m playing in. There is also a lot of benefit in the era I’m playing in," said the goalie, who has made a lot of money playing in this era. "That’s the way I have to see it. Otherwise, it would be really upsetting if I was a regular Joe doing my thing and all of a sudden I lost two seasons for no reason.

"I kind of got to benefit by the business. I have to accept it, but it’s something nobody should ever have to go through, especially because a career is so short. I’m lucky. I guess if you go through three (lockouts) it means you’ve played a long time. Not many guys will have to go through that. Hopefully it’s a lesson learned for a lot of people."

Brodeur is the NHL’s all-time wins leader with 656, 105 more than runner-up Patrick Roy.

In the 16½ seasons since he became the Devils’ No. 1 goalie (including his injury-shortened 2008-09 campaign), Brodeur has averaged about 39 wins per season. At that rate, he would have another 75 victories or so had there not been any labor stoppages.

He won his first Stanley Cup in ‘95 following that first lockout. And he has a chance at another this year.

However, in ‘04-05, that chance was taken away.

"That’s probably what I’m most mad about. That hurt the most," Brodeur said. It’s one reason he is so happy a 48-game season was saved.

"All along we wanted to play. Definitely me, knowing where I’m at in my career, I don’t have (many) years ahead of me," Brodeur said.

"I got a little worried about losing the whole year the way things were going. I’m definitely really excited now."