Stanley Cup Finals 2012: Why I'd Rather Have Jonathan Quick Than Martin Brodeur

It's been a monumental playoffs for both Martin Brodeur and Jonathan Quick, but for very different reasons.

Brodeur has sent a message to the hockey world that he is still a major factor, even at the ripe age of 40. And for the 26-year-old Quick, it's been a bit of a coming-out party. 

In his two previous playoff appearances, Quick had limited success. There were even questions about whether or not he was capable of winning a playoff round.

On one side you have an aging legend who many think is past his prime, on the other a young gun trying to prove he is an elite goaltender. 

I would take both of them in a heartbeat. However, when presented with the question of "Who would you rather have?", one would almost certainly have to favor Quick.

Let's look at this in a vacuum, not focusing on future careers, but on the here and now. Quick has been the hottest goalie on the planet for the better part of two months. He has confidence in his team, his play and his style. 

The old mantra is that a hot goaltender can win you a Cup, and history has supported that theory time and time again. In 2010, Antti Niemi led the Blackhawks to a Stanley Cup after struggling for much of the season. In 2007, J.S. Giguere, who wasn't even the starter to begin the playoffs, put up miraculous numbers in leading the Ducks to their first ever cup.

Quick has peaked on a level that matches and surpasses that of his Cup-winning predecessors. He has an allure to his game right now that is befuddling his opponents, a point Travis Zajac made after the Devils' practice today, which was attended by Bleacher Report:

"

"Well, he's a little different than any other goalie we've faced so far. He plays low. He's quick on rebounds. He's fast. He gets out and plays pucks a lot. He's a great goalie. He's been like that all year for them."

"

It's really not a shot at Martin Brodeur that the betting man would probably take Quick. Brodeur does have the experience, the know-how and the game to still hang with the best in the league. However, it's hard to stop the runaway train that is Jonathan Quick.

Brodeur has a 12-7-3 record in these playoffs, a .924 save-percentage and a 2.00 goals against average. Quick? A 14-2-0 record with a .947 save-percentage and a 1.44 goals against average.

The numbers speak for themselves.

So when asked the question, "who would you rather have right now?", the answer is undeniably Quick.

Why?

To me it's not because of the numbers or the team that plays in front of him.

Why do I say Quick over Brodeur?

Because Quick is simply just too good right now.