Brodeur mentoring 'Sid the Kid'

Thursday, September 17, 2009 | Feedback | Print Entry

Who knew New Jersey Devils iconic stopper Marty Brodeur would be so quick to sing the praises of young rival and Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby? Speaking to the league's all-time win leader at the club's practice facility (which is connected to their home rink) in Newark, Brodeur was happy to heap praise on Crosby.

"I've been a big Sidney fan," said Brodeur, who has an understanding of the pressure that can overwhelm a star athlete. "I got to be around him and play golf and spend some time with him in Calgary [during Team Canada's August Olympic orientation camp]. You can't help noticing how well he handles himself in all different situations. There have been such expectations on him since he was 13 years old. He's under a lot of pressure to be a little of everything for the league and his team, and he's doing it. It's very impressive."

To see why Crosby recently reached out to Brodeur for some timely advice and read about how Brodeur is meshing with new/old coach Jacques Lemaire, you must be an ESPN Insider. Insider  
 

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  • E.J. Hradek E.J. Hradek

    E.J. Hradek is a senior writer at ESPN The Magazine, joining the staff prior to its launch in 1998. He began covering hockey as a writer/editor for Hockey Illustrated in 1989. The following year, he beat the Stars to Dallas (by three years), taking over as the editor of Beckett Hockey Monthly. When the Stars finally did arrive in Big D, he hosted a weekly hockey radio show and tried (unsuccessfully) to convert ESPN's Skip Bayless to the greatest game on ice.

    In 1996, Hradek left Dallas, but not the Stars. Relocating back to the New York area, he became a part-time pro scout for the club, seeing more than 100 NHL/AHL games for each of the next two seasons. The scouting gig was a great learning experience, offering a different view of the game.

    Hradek grew up in Tuckahoe, N.Y., about a 40-minute train ride from New York City. Despite the proximity to the Rangers, Hradek embraced the Islanders when the expansion franchise debuted in 1972. Eight years later, he was part of the sellout crowd at the Nassau Coliseum that witnessed the Islanders' first Stanley Cup championship.


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