What if Martin Brodeur had started the last game of the 06/07 season?

[LeafsNation75]

I'm sure that both Leafs and Islanders fans remember the last game of the 2006-2007 regular season. For those who don't the Islanders were playing in New Jersey and needed a win to make the playoffs and finish 8th in the Eastern Conference to knock the Leafs out of that position. Prior to the game there was some controversy because the Devils had decided to start Scott Clemmensen and rest Martin Brodeur since they had locked up their playoff spot and had nothing to play for. In the end the Islanders won in a shootout making the playoffs and breaking the hearts of Leafs fans, myself included who watched that game.

Now my question is had the Devils started Brodeur is the outcome of that game different with the Islanders lossing or do they still manage to win the game?

Click to read more...

 

[TheDevilMadeMe]

Brodeur had started 78 of the first 81 games and the team had locked up its playoff spot. In the process, he led the league in both games played and total saves made. What was "controversial" about giving his backup the start heading into the playoffs?

 

[LeafsNation75]

Some people thought since the game still meant the outcome of who finished 8th and 9th in the Eastern Conference, the Devils should have started Brodeur and not made it easier for the Islanders playing their #2 Goalie.

 

[Michael Farkas]

Some people thought since the game still meant the outcome of who finished 8th and 9th in the Eastern Conference, the Devils should have started Brodeur and not made it easier for the Islanders playing their #2 Goalie.

Huh? That's bologna, it doesn't make sense. If the Leafs wanted to make the playoffs, they would have won their own games and not rely on Brodeur to play 82 games instead of 81 or whatever it was...with all due respect, this just doesn't make a lick of sense. Are "some people" Leaf fans...? The Devils personnel decisions have nothing to do with the Leafs season, they controlled their own destiny all season just like everyone else.

 

[TheDevilMadeMe]

Some people thought since the game still meant the outcome of who finished 8th and 9th in the Eastern Conference, the Devils should have started Brodeur and not made it easier for the Islanders playing their #2 Goalie.

In other words, some Leafs fans thought the Devils should care more about what was good for the Leafs than what was good for themselves?

 

[Bear of Bad News]

Devils earned the right to set themselves up properly for the playoffs, and that included giving Brodeur a rest before the playoffs began.

 

[Sticks and Pucks]

The Leafs would have made the playoffs and gotten swept in the first round.

 

[quoipourquoi]

Since everyone else seems to be getting hung up on phrasing as opposed to answering the question...


Toronto makes the playoffs and gets beaten by Buffalo. They get a worse pick in the draft, and maybe have to give San Jose a little more in order to grab Vesa Toskala. Edmonton, who had acquired the Islanders pick, gets better positioning. Maybe they draft Kevin Shattenkirk.

This wasn't some history changing event, though I understand the frustration in Game 82 to see one team seemingly taking it easy because it means nothing to them - even though it means everything to their opponent. As Kevin Costner said in For Love of the Game after John C Reilly called their game against the Yankees meaningless, "Not to the Red Sox." In this case, not to the Maple Leafs. Bummer. But Buffalo was really good, and I don't see Toronto beating them.

 

[Sticks and Pucks]

Since everyone else seems to be getting hung up on phrasing as opposed to answering the question...


Toronto makes the playoffs and gets beaten by Buffalo. They get a worse pick in the draft, and maybe have to give San Jose a little more in order to grab Vesa Toskala. Edmonton, who had acquired the Islanders pick, gets better positioning. Maybe they draft Kevin Shattenkirk.

I would disagree with your draft analysis. Toronto would have gotten 15th overall instead of 13th. Islanders get 13th instead of 15th. There isn't much difference between 13 and 15. San Jose would probably have been just as happy with the 15th pick. As for the Oilers, management that year was really high on Alex Plante for whatever reason. He wasn't even supposed to go in the first round. I get the feeling they would have taken him at 13 and passed up Shattenkirk. The only question would be whether or not St. Louis trades down from 9 to 15. St. Louis wanted Eller that year and they were banking on him being available at 13. If they didn't think he would be available at 15, they probably keep the 9th pick and draft Eller with that pick. In that case, the rest of the draft would probably have gone:

9. Eller (St. Louis)
10. Ellerby (Florida)
11. Couture (Carolina)
12. McDonagh (Montreal)
13. Plante (Edmonton)
14. Shattenkirk (Colorado)
15. Sutter (San Jose)

Florida seemed high on Ellerby (he was rated pretty high that year) and Montreal seemed to be going D (drafting McDonagh and Subban with their first two picks). This makes me think Carolina was interested in Couture (if neither Florida, Carolina or Montreal were interested in Couture then the Sharks probably don't feel the need to trade up). Hence, the Canes draft Couture in this situation. Sutter drops to 15th to San Jose. Imagine the Canes with Couture and the Sharks with Sutter. Things would have been quite different!

 

[Evincar]

The only "controversy" was from Leafs fans and maybe their players/management (Cant really remember).

But to answer the question, Im not sure how Brodeur would have really made a difference. Clemmensen only allowed 2 goals in 65 minutes.

 

[TheDevilMadeMe]

The only "controversy" was from Leafs fans and maybe their players/management (Cant really remember).

But to answer the question, Im not sure how Brodeur would have really made a difference. Clemmensen only allowed 2 goals in 65 minutes.

At the time, Brodeur was probably the best shootout goalie in the league. IIRC, Clemmensen got abused in the shootout that game, which led to the Islanders' victory and playoff berth. Of course, there's no guarantee that Brodeur would have been enough for the Devils to win the shootout.

 

[Eisen]

Shouldn't be a controversy at all. The Devils have the right to dress whoever they want.
In addition, I'm sure the Leafs won a game against a back-up goalie that year too.
Admittedly, the timing makes for good drama.

 

[Johnny Engine]

Since everyone else seems to be getting hung up on phrasing as opposed to answering the question...


Toronto makes the playoffs and gets beaten by Buffalo. They get a worse pick in the draft, and maybe have to give San Jose a little more in order to grab Vesa Toskala. Edmonton, who had acquired the Islanders pick, gets better positioning. Maybe they draft Kevin Shattenkirk.

Well, let's get more creative here.

The Leafs get bounced by Buffalo, but the season is a "success" so they don't go for Toskala, but instead trade their draft pick for another forward, and replace Aubin with a career backup type. Antropov doesn't break out because he's stuck behind Blake and the new guy and doesn't play with Sundin. The Leafs implode unimaginably hard with Raycroft and Replacement-man in net (because remember, Toskala was decent for one year), and Ferguson (who's still in charge because MLSE values his "success" the year before) does absolutely nothing at the trade deadline. They keep Sundin, McCabe, and Tucker, but shuffle other pieces around and bring in a trap-style coach. Jeff Finger is signed by a different team to a manageable contract, and by now is a well-regarded late-blooming Scuderi-type, "the kind of guy you win with". They draft Stamkos, and develop him as a second line centre. By 2013, he's a fairly well-rounded #1 centre who hasn't won a Rocket Trophy (one for Crosby and one for Malkin), and fans argue that he'd produce more with different teammates. Pogge develops decently in a defensive system and Reimer is never given a shot.

How's that for butterfly effect?

 

[Banana Sandwiches]

It shouldn't matter that Clemmensen played that game. Hell, even if the Devils played everyone from their farm team that game it still shouldn't have mattered.

You have no right to complain about anything if you're relying on another team to win so you can make the playoffs.

 

[tony d]

I dislike all these what ifs. If the Leafs where meant to make the playoffs that year they wouldn't have had to depend on other teams' starting goalies.

 

[FakeKidPoker*]

I remember that day.

The talking heads at TSN were whining that Brodeur should have started.

 

[maroon 6]

What if the Penguins traded the 2005 first overall pick to the Leafs for Aki Berg and a bag of pucks?

 

[MadLuke]

The talking heads at TSN were whining that Brodeur should have started.

With the number of game that Brodeur played and the devils a lock for the playoff..........

New jersey have an history to save their player when their playoff position is locked.

 

[WarriorOfGandhi]

What if the Penguins traded the 2005 first overall pick to the Leafs for Aki Berg and a bag of pucks?

the Leafs would have found a way to dick it up

 

[Kyle McMahon]

I remember that day.

The talking heads at TSN were whining that Brodeur should have started.

Yup, I remember that. Just shook my head in disgust. A team gunning for a playoff spot going up against a team resting starters happens every year in the last week of the season, never a peep out of the media. But as soon as the Leafs were the team that could suffer for it, it was a classless move by the Devils, disgrace to the game, etc.

Ironic that the Devils ended up keeping the Leafs hopes alive by tying that game with seconds remaining, when they could have just rolled over and died, down two goals with about 7 minutes to go if I recall correct. No mention of that from the panel.

 

[Plural]

Feels kind of weird to blame a opposite team, on using their backup (which was perfectly in their rights and a smart move overall) for my team not to make the playoffs.

 

[sr edler]

do they still manage to win the game?

Yes. Islanders still win because of a "secret" shootout weapon known as Viktor Kozlov. He played with the Devils in 05–06 and knew Brodeur and would have embarrassed him with a toe–to toe–to toe move. Now you know.

 

[Big Phil]

As a Leaf fan I was ecstatic that we beat Montreal the night before. All we needed was for New Jersey to beat the lowly Islanders and we were in. However, I've never been a fan that has relied on emotion over common sense. Sure I wanted Brodeur to start, but I also know that the only people who cooked their own goose in this situation were the Leafs themselves. So at the end of the game I was bitter and had more of a "serves you right" mentality towards the Leafs.

We would have gotten bombed in the first round anyway.

 

[TheDevilMadeMe]

As a Leaf fan I was ecstatic that we beat Montreal the night before. All we needed was for New Jersey to beat the lowly Islanders and we were in. However, I've never been a fan that has relied on emotion over common sense. Sure I wanted Brodeur to start, but I also know that the only people who cooked their own goose in this situation were the Leafs themselves. So at the end of the game I was bitter and had more of a "serves you right" mentality towards the Leafs.

We would have gotten bombed in the first round anyway.

Those "lowly Islanders" were the team the Leafs were battling for the final playoff spot!

 

[Johnny Engine]

Those "lowly Islanders" were the team the Leafs were battling for the final playoff spot!

Yeah, but they are a team that has built up a lot of ill will in the minds of fans during the Milbury era. There was every reason to say "...oh come on, the Islanders?"

I fully expect that kind of disrespect towards the Leafs this year even if they make it two years in a row comfortably in the playoffs, and other fans wouldn't be wrong. They've been bad for a long time.