Devils G Brodeur feeling good, eyes return

Feb 23, 2009 - 11:39 PM NEWARK, New Jersey (Ticker) -- By his own admission, Martin Brodeur is feeling good.

The New Jersey Devils veteran goaltender took part in practice on Monday, saying that his return to the ice is imminent.

"I feel good," the four-time Vezina Trophy winner said. "I felt it was nice to get into the rhythm a little bit at practice, so it was definitely good."

Brodeur admitted that Monday's practice was the most intense of any he has participated in since he began skating. The 36-year-old's left distal bicep tendon was surgically repaired on November 6.

"My arm is good, and my reaction time is getting better and better each day," Brodeur said.

With that in mind, when will the future Hall of Famer return to the ice?

"I don't want to speculate on whether it's going to be Thursday, Saturday, Sunday or next week ... I don't know," New Jersey coach Brent Sutter said.

"It's a situation where, I've said this before, it's not training camp. These last 22 games of the season, you're playing teams at a high level now, you need your goaltending to be sharp."

The team opens a homestand of three games in four nights, beginning Thursday against the Colorado Avalanche.

Brodeur tore a tendon in his left arm in a November 1 game against the Atlanta Thrashers and

underwent surgery to re-attach the tendon.

It was the first major setback in a 15-year career for the three-time Stanley Cup winner, who was nearing a pair of prestigious records prior to suffering the injury.

With 544 career wins, Brodeur is just eight away from breaking Patrick Roy's all-time NHL record. He needs five shutouts to match Terry Sawchuk's league mark of 103.