If GAA didn't mean Goals Against Average, but was the symbol for a stock that symbolized the Goalie market, I would say the Blues grabbing Marty Brodeur was a great move on many levels. With so many teams so close in the standings there is a definite sense the goalie market is about to be a very strong one.

From St Louis' standpoint, and history, you can't have enough experience in goal going into the playoffs. How many times now has the Blues goaltending, so solid in the regular season, fallen apart either due to injury or otherwise when the playoffs hit? Too many for a team this deep and ready to make a Cup run.

Having Brodeur around a guy like Jake Allen is a wonderful move. Knowing Hitchcock as I do I would bet you anything he sees something in Allen that isn't quite ready for prime time and he believes just having a guy like Brodeur around will help fix whatever that is...ALWAYS remember Hitch doesn't believe in accidents and doesn't do anything without several well thought out reasons to do it.


If Elliot comes back strong at some point and Allen shows himself worthy the Blues could also potentially be sitting on a gold mine here as well come the deadline. While I am sure Marty will have say as to where he is dealt there are any number of teams with huge expectations in the East who are one pulled groin away from disaster.

This also keeps the Ducks and Sharks away from Marty.

As for Brodeur....he also needs several reasons before making decisions. He looks at the Blues as a true Cup contender if he is choosing them. In the worse case he probably feels he is due for a long Cup run in St. Louis or he gets moved back East. Best case he takes over the job and gets the one last shot at a Cup he has been waiting for.

This is what this has always been about for Marty. I was around him a lot during the Kings/Devils Final and he was really loving the ride...just taking everything in. He said over and over how when he was young winning Cups he never got to enjoy all that is a "Cup Run." Had that improbable Devils run never happened I wonder if he wouldn't have retired already.... It really appeared to drive him.

San Jose and Philly in the "Desperation Bowl."

Tonight in San Jose, while most of you will be sleeping, the Sharks and Flyers, two teams who have travelled parallel paths for years, will be facing off in NOT just another hockey game. Talking to sources on both sides the time is now for both squads and both coaches and patience has almost gone out the window.

Both teams have too much talent to be looking from the outside into the playoff picture right now. Both teams have fan bases preparing their pitchforks and torches. The Flyers are the team in the more dire place when it comes to making the playoffs, but the Sharks are the team falling further below expectations right now...and the team who hasn't yet had a scapegoat to account for recent failures...

Just as the Blues may have gotten in at the right time on the goalie market, there is a bubbling up coaches market that teams have to look at right now. There is only one Dan Bylsma out there if you want to save this season. Someone is going to make that move in December. You can feel it.

Waiting could prove dangerous.

We will talk about all of this and more today at 1pm ET on the HockeyBuzzCast.