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As the slow times of summer wind down in preparation for training camp, teams are looking to shore up their front offices and rosters to be fully spun up and operational by the first game of the season. That is why Martin Brodeur’s surprise departure from his role in St. Louis as an assistant GM (as described by Jeremy Rutherford of The Athletic ($)) was a significant development.
Most Devils fans still have a sour taste in their mouths from his brief stint between the pipes in St. Louis and in their front office, so the news from the morning of August 29th should be extremely welcome:
Welcome home, @MartinBrodeur! The has been named the #NJDevils Executive VP of Business Development. https://t.co/7gFwf7LTow
— New Jersey Devils (@NJDevils) August 29, 2018
Brodeur is back in the fold in New Jersey, albeit with the caveat that he is focusing solely on the business side of things in the front office. He did help out with some hockey operations in St. Louis but he is looking to tackle a new challenge back in New Jersey as executive VP of Business Development. Essentially, Brodeur will oversee outreach to new partnerships and grow the revenue stream of the New Jersey Devils and the Prudential Center. In his role, Brodeur will be responsible for prospecting new partnerships for the team and finding creative ways to retain existing season ticket holders while simultaneously attracting new ones. His qualifications after being in an NHL front office and connections within the state of New Jersey (you know, in addition to the fact that the guy has a statue outside the arena) make him a prime candidate for generating additional interest in the team. Of course, his job is made a bit easier when he is able to sell a reigning league MVP and playoff team, but his name alone carries a significant amount of gravitas in the New Jersey community that would help even without the successes of last season.
It will be nice to see Marty closer to the New Jersey community and hovering around the arena during game days. In addition to the new heritage third jerseys that were announced, this hire signifies that despite the culture and management changes needed to regain respect around the league, Harris and Blitzer have not lost sight of the existing legacy of the New Jersey Devils.
Your thoughts
How will Brodeur perform in his new role? Are you excited to see him back in the organization? Let us know what you think in the comments.