To be totally honest, Devils' fans have had a whole hell of a lot of more important things to worry themselves with over the last few years, as the organization stripped itself to the barest of bones in starting from scratch. For that reason, an everlasting face of the franchise taking up employment in a front office other than that of New Jersey's wasn't exactly of the upmost concern. No matter where his career took him, Martin Brodeur's legend was always going to live on, in all its transcendent glory, both in the Prudential Center rafters and outside the doors on which his statue casts a 13 foot shadow. For that reason, I never really faulted a player as hyper competitive as the most accomplished goaltender of all time for wanting to call it quits on his own terms, just as I never faulted him for taking up a team that was in a better position to give him those terms up on their offer to take his talents to the owner's suite. It was definitely weird temporarily knowing Martin Brodeur as something other than a New Jersey Devil, but letting ties to the past get in the way of a brighter future became all-too-characteristic of Lou Lamoriello, not the man that's done an unbelievable job in replacing him. Sentimentality aside, prolonging the split just made a lot of sense. All that being said, the news that Martin Brodeur is returning to the franchise under which he endearingly became known as "Marty" and eternally became "better" couldn't be more welcomed. Only he knows exactly what type of role he's accepted under Ray Shero, but mixing a dose of old in with the new puts a nice twist on what's been a pretty damn successful turnaround thus far. Just having him around the building where his footprints are unmistakable will be cool, regardless of his level of influence in it. For now it doesn't really matter whether or not round two of the relationship ends up lasting anywhere near as long as round one, as we should just appreciate what feels like a fanbase's favorite Uncle coming back to live under the same roof for indefinite period of time. Add in the bonus that he'll officially be with the New Jersey Devils as his induction into the 'Hall Of Fame' as a New Jersey Devil is being celebrated, and it makes for pretty exciting news during an otherwise quiet offseason. Welcome back Marty, I suppose it was only a matter of time...
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