Jeremy Brodeur Follows in Father’s Footsteps with NHL Debut for New Jersey Devils

Jeremy Brodeur, son of the legendary goaltender Martin Brodeur, made a memorable debut in the NHL on Monday night. Born in 1996, Jeremy Brodeur grew up watching his father tend the goal for the New Jersey Devils and even had a brief stint with the club himself, playing seven games in the 2014-2015 season. Jeremy, the younger brother of Anthony, who was drafted by the Devils in 2013, followed a different path to professional hockey.

Before his NHL debut, Jeremy Brodeur played three seasons with the Oshawa Generals in the Ontario Hockey League and later joined the Allen Americans in the ECHL. Despite not being drafted into the NHL, Jeremy has pursued a career as a goaltender, much like his father. His perseverance paid off when, more than a decade after his father’s last game with the Devils, he played between the pipes for the team against the New Jersey Devils.

Jeremy Brodeur nearly achieved a shutout in his first NHL start, allowing just one goal by Anton Blidh in the final 96 seconds of the game. The New Jersey Devils secured a 3-1 victory, with Brodeur stopping 29 out of 30 shots aimed at him. His performance earned him the first star of the game, with one save likened to the skillful moves of his father during his prime.

“I was very nervous during the warm-up, but I quickly calmed down,” Jeremy Brodeur commented after the match. “My teammates played well and stopped their chances,” he noted, reflecting on his teammates’ contributions to his successful debut.

Speaking on the influence of his father, Jeremy mentioned, “I followed his career, and I hope he watched the game tonight.” At the time, Martin Brodeur was in Prague for the Global Series between the Devils and the Buffalo Sabres, and Jeremy planned to contact his father the following day.

Nathan Légaré, another player with Quebec roots and formerly associated with the Montreal Canadiens organization, also stood out during the game. He scored the second goal for New Jersey with an impressive deke on a breakaway.