Video Analysis: Does Marty Brodeur Still Have What It Takes to Be an NHL Goalie?

Through four games (three starts) with the St. Louis Blues, Martin Brodeur is 2-2-0 with a 3.59 goals-against average and .882 save percentage. He allowed six goals—one on a shot from center ice—in a 6-4 loss to the Los Angeles Kings on Thursday night.

After spending the start of the season unemployed, the 42-year-old Brodeur has done little to dispel the idea that he doesn't belong in the NHL.

During his final season with the New Jersey Devils, Brodeur had a 2.51/.901 split and looked as though he had a hard time moving laterally, if at all. Some said if he were playing behind an elite team—say, the Blues—his numbers would greatly improve.

That hasn't been the case.

But just about every goalie will have a four-game stretch with a save percentage that makes children cry and men weep. Sometimes the team in front of a goaltender will let him down, sometimes pucks have eyes and sometimes the chances are so great that no goaltender can stop them.

And sometimes, the goaltender just isn't very good.

What has been the case with the 13 goals allowed by Brodeur this season? Let's look at each one and determine what, if anything, Brodeur has left.

Filip Forsberg, Nashville Predators

The goal: If someone were to write a book about Martin Brodeur's last four seasons, it would be titled, He Allowed Four Goals But…The Martin Brodeur Story. Although, it's nearly impossible to put an ounce of blame on Brodeur here.

The official scorer should have given Blues center Jori Lehtera all the minuses after Filip Forsberg's first-period goal. First, Lehtera turns it over. Brodeur bails him out by making a tough save on Mike Ribeiro. A seemingly ungrateful Lehtera repays by Brodeur by completely napping on defensive coverage, allowing Forsberg an easy rebound goal.

Brodeur blame: 0 percent

Eric Nystrom, Nashville Predators

The goal: Once again, Ribeiro was the catalyst, cutting and weaving through the Blues defense before teeing up Eric Nystrom for the one-time goal from the slot. Tough save? Sure. Impossible save? Hardly.

This is one of those goals some people won't hang on a goaltender. It looks like the kind of goal you'd score in NHL 95 that was unstoppable. But this is where Brodeur's stand-up style and slower reflexes bite him. Nystrom didn't pick a corner or fire a rocket; he snapped a quick shot that hit the middle of the net yet eluded Brodeur.

Brodeur blame: 85 percent

Mike Ribeiro, Nashville Predators

The goal: Have a night, Mike Ribeiro. Also: Did Brodeur do something to offend Lehtera before this game? There are very few things an average fan can do better than an elite NHL athlete, but I'd wager half the fans in attendance could have broken up James Neal's slow-motion cross-ice pass to Ribeiro.

There's not much Brodeur could do here, but that's certainly not the way to push across on a pass of this nature. Neal's shot-fake is average at best, but in fairness to Brodeur, he hadn't played hockey in almost eight months, so it's understandable if that move by Neal brought him to his knees.

Brodeur blame: 5 percent

Colin Wilson, Nashville Predators

The goal: The Blues didn't exactly help Brodeur in his debut, did they? Colin Wilson knifes through the neutral zone and has a pressure-free breakaway that he finishes on his backhand. No one ever will or should blame the goaltender on a goal of this nature.

But really, was this move by Wilson all that special? Fake shot, backhand, barely get it off the ice, goal. Brodeur's ability to move side to side is all but gone, and it was exploited here by Wilson. It's one thing if Pavel Datsyuk or Bobby Ryan freezes you and moves around you, and Wilson is having a nice season, but this was hardly an unstoppable move.

Every now and again, a goaltender needs to make a difficult save.

Brodeur blame: 55 percent

John Tavares, New York Islanders

The goal: After entering in relief of starter Jake Allen, Brodeur stopped 14 of 15 shots to get the win. The only goal he allowed was this one, a power-play goal by John Tavares off a crazy scramble near the net.

It's hard to blame anyone here. There's not much Brodeur can do if an uncovered Tavares has the puck three feet from the net, and sometimes when a team is shorthanded, especially against one as talented as the Islanders, a player will get open. 

Brodeur blame: 6 percent

Nick Bjugstad, Florida Panthers

The goal: Another defensive breakdown leads to an odd-man rush against Brodeur. This time it's Nick Bjugstad, one of the game's better up-and-coming players, barreling toward the net after Blues defenseman Chris Butler gets caught stepping up at the blue line.

It's tough to blame Brodeur, and Blues analyst Darren Pang can't wait to praise this shot, but what exactly is Brodeur doing here? He doesn't even react. He just stands there and twitches a bit, almost as if he were guessing. That was something he was caught doing a lot toward the end with the Devils, something goaltenders who can't react as quickly do.

Brodeur blame: 30 percent

Aaron Ekblad, Florida Panthers

The goal: This is the seventh goal Brodeur allowed this season and easily the fifth one that can be classified as the result of a disaster in front of him. I'm not a professional hockey player, but I can't imagine ever doing what T.J. Oshie does here with the Panthers applying pressure. Oshie hands his stick to Kevin Shattenkirk (smart) and then skates to the bench for a new stick (dumb), allowing Ekblad an easy goal.

Brodeur, again, doesn't look great here moving to his left, but it was a hopeless endeavor anyway. He stopped 32 of 34 shots in this game, so it's fair to say he pulled his weight in this victory.

Brodeur blame: 3 percent

Marian Gaborik, Los Angeles Kings

The goal: This is the first of six goals Brodeur would allow during this nightmare contest. It's also the first of three power-play goals, as the Blues were horrendous in almost every facet after taking a 3-0 lead.

(Four of the 13 goals Brodeur has allowed this season have been of the power-play variety, although his .904 even-strength save percentage doesn't exactly speak highly of him.)

Brodeur does everything right as Jeff Carter escapes to the front of the net unfettered. Brodeur squares up Carter and makes a perfect poke check. It's a bit of bad luck, as the puck slithers right to Marian Gaborik for the easy goal.

Brodeur blame: 4 percent

Anze Kopitar, Los Angeles Kings

The goal: Anze Kopitar. Alone in the high slot. Off the post and in. Again, another goal that's tough to hang on Brodeur. Think about the first nine goals we've viewed, and think about how many are in the category of "Man, Brodeur is so old and terrible now."

Maybe this is the type of shot you want your goaltender to stop. It's one-on-one, essentially. But it's also one-on-one with one of the best players in the world from about 15 feet away, and the shot rings off the post.

Brodeur blame: 18 percent

Marian Gaborik (2), Los Angeles Kings

The goal: Another Gaborik power-play goal, another weird bounce leads to it. Drew Doughty's shot from the point is labeled for the glove side, yet it hits Gaborik as he crosses into Brodeur's field of vision. Instead of the puck bouncing to the corner or behind Gaborik, it falls right to his feet for another open-net goal as Brodeur looks lost.

If the Blues are going lose coverage this often in the defensive zone against players of this caliber, maybe Brian Elliott will fake a new injury once he's healthy.

Brodeur blame: 10 percent

Jeff Carter, Los Angeles Kings

The goal: A two-on-one with Kopitar and Carter and a perfect saucer pass to Carter, who buries it to tie the game at 4. What is Brodeur supposed to do here?

Well, I'm perhaps weirdly going to put more blame than most on Brodeur. While Kopitar's elevated pass to Carter is pretty, it's not as though Carter swept the puck into a yawning net in one motion. Carter has to settle the puck before shooting it, yet Brodeur couldn't get across to make the save.

Does a younger, more mobile goaltender find a way to make that save? Not every time, but probably more often than Brodeur can.

Brodeur blame: 40 percent

Jake Muzzin, Los Angeles Kings

The goal: Jake Muzzin's shot from the left faceoff circle is reminiscent of one he scored on Corey Crawford of the Chicago Blackhawks during last season's conference final. This shot is either easily stoppable or impossible, depending on how Brodeur decides to look around the traffic in front of his net.

Sadly for Brodeur, he looks left when he should have looked right. Once Muzzin gets the defender to drop, he's essentially shooting on a net that's one-fifth open, which may as well be entirely open for someone of his skill level.

Brodeur blame: 25 percent

Dwight King, Los Angeles Kings

The goal: This is the type of goal that may reinforce your preexisting opinion that Brodeur is done, that he should be enjoying a life of leisure on a tropical island. Dwight King whips it toward the net from center ice, it skips and hits the water bottle in the back of the net to put the Kings ahead 6-4.

It's funny. It's hilarious. But is it really Brodeur's fault?

There's just no way to blame any goaltender on a play like this. Brodeur's style will lead to certain goals getting past him that won't get past any other goaltender, but this isn't one of them. All 60 NHL goaltenders would have dropped the same way to stop this shot and all 60 (maybe not Ben Bishop, as he's tall) would have watched this puck go over his shoulder.

I am of the belief that Brodeur doesn't have much left to offer an NHL team, but after looking at the 13 goals he's allowed this season, it's hard to say that any of this is evidence he's toast. Brodeur may be able to play at a serviceable backup level with the Blues if given the chance, but it's hard to imagine the Blues keeping him once Elliott is healthy.

Brodeur blame: 0 percent

(All statistics via NHL.com.)