Stanley Cup 2012: Finals Will Be Determined by Brodeur vs. Quick Matchup

Which netminder will lead his team to hockey's ultimate prize?

It's the classic legend versus up-and-comer matchup, the Los Angeles Kings' Jonathan Quick was five years old when Martin Brodeur made his debut with the New Jersey Devils in 1991, and now they will oppose each other with the 2012 Stanley Cup at stake.

Brodeur has won the Vezina Trophy four times, been selected to 10 All-Star games, and won three Stanley Cups. Quick has yet to receive any of those honors in his four-year career, though he is in the Stanley Cup Finals, and nominated for the Vezina trophy this year with Henrik Lundqvist of the NY Rangers and Pekka Rinne of Nashville Predators.

The winner of the award for NHL's top goaltender won't be announced until June 20.

Brodeur would love to attain a fourth Stanley Cup, and I could see him, a proud competitor, relishing a chance to guide his team through two of the current Vezina trophy nominees en route to it.

Of course, there are other factors, this isn't a one-on-one matchup, but make no mistake this series will be determined by the goaltenders.

The Kings are a dominant 12-2 in the postseason thus far, and Quick has allowed more than two goals in only one of the team's playoff wins. He has been solid in every game, and spectacular in some.

He has blanked two teams, and made more than 30 saves on three occasions.

The future Hall of Famer Brodeur hasn't been quite as dominant. The Devils have been challenged much more in the postseason, and their record is 12-6. Brodeur's inconsistent play has been part of the reason why.

He has had some rough performances, especially in the the Devils' first-round series against the Florida Panthers. He was benched in the team's Game 3 loss. Brodeur responded with a shutout in Game 4, and the Devils won a hard-fought seven-game series. 

He remained up-and-down in the Devils' next two series, but you can't doubt his ability to rise to the occasion in big games. Brodeur has been in these waters before, and he knows what it takes to perform well deep in the playoffs.

But the fact remains, he's 40 years old, and he's not the same player he once was. He's headed for unrestricted free agency in the offseason, his future is uncertain, though it seems he wants to continue playing, and the Devils will have him as long as he wants to be there.

Quick is scheduled to become a restricted free agent after next year, but few doubt the Kings will lock him up before then. This is a story of two players headed in different directions.

Brodeur is obviously the more experienced and accomplished, but right now Quick is better, and so are the Kings. My prediction is the Kings in six with Quick taking the Conn Smythe Trophy for Finals MVP.

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