Olympic ice hockey hero Brodeur hangs up pads

National Hockey League goalie Martin Brodeur, who backstopped Canada to Olympic gold medals and the New Jersey Devils to Stanley Cups titles, announced his retirement.
The 42-year-old from Montreal ended his brilliant 21-year National Hockey League career after playing in just seven games this season with the St. Louis Blues.
He has accepted a front office job with the Blues.
"The thing about hockey for me is I am really competitive and I am leaving the game with a big smile on my face," Brodeur said on Thursday.
"This [front office job] is a great opportunity for me to start something new and I am really excited," he said.
Brodeur holds the all-time goaltending record for most regular season wins at 691. He was 3-3-0 with a 2.87 goals-against average and one shutout during his short stint with the Blues.
Brodeur represented Canada at four Winter Olympics, winning gold medals in 2002 in Salt Lake City and 2010 in Vancouver.
He backstopped New Jersey to three Stanley Cup titles, won the Vezina Trophy as the league's top goaltender four times and set numerous NHL records.
He was initially named back-up in Salt Lake City but won the starting job and the gold for Canada.
Brodeur started four of six games at the 2006 Turin Games but Canada lost in the quarter-finals to Russia.
Four years later in Vancouver he was benched after a loss to the Americans early in the hockey tournament and Canada went on to win gold with a solid defense led by Scott Niedermayer and his replacement Roberto Luongo in net.
"I am leaving the game really, really happy," said Brodeur, who will have the title of senior advisor to the general manager for St. Louis.
A lock for the Hockey Hall of Fame, Brodeur holds regular season NHL goaltending records for wins (691), shutouts (125), games played (1,266) and minutes played (74,438). He ranks first in starts (204) and shutouts (24) in all-time playoff history.
"It would have been nice to get 700," Brodeur said about sticking around for a milestone victory. "I wish I could have played more games -- all these lockouts I got killed on it.
"I know I can play and I can still have fun with this game."
Source: AFP