This Day in Hockey History – April 4, 2003 and 2004 – For the Longest Time

Apr 4, 2020

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Who is the toughest goalie in NHL history? If you count in terms of minutes spent in the net, Martin Brodeur proved his mettle in multiple seasons. In back-to-back years, April 4th marked the setting of new records for the hardest working goalies. At the end of the 2002-03 season, Marc Denis eclipsed Brodeur’s record for the most minutes played. The very next season, on the same date, Brodeur took it back with a new high, and he did it as his team set the bar for fewest goals against (during a season with 80 games or more).

Brodeur and Denis had some parallel experiences. They were born about five years apart (in 1972 and 1977, respectively) and thus drafted with the same gap in years (Brodeur in 1990 and Denis in 1995). Interestingly, they were even drafted five selections apart, with Brodeur drafted 20th overall and Denis 25th. However, there were seven seasons between when Brodeur set the record for most minutes in one season and when Denis broke it. Back in 1995-96, the season after Denis’s draft, Brodeur spent 4,433:19 in net for the New Jersey Devils.

On April 4, 2003, Columbus’s Nationwide Arena hosted a crowd of 18,136 to see Denis in net for the Blue Jackets. His scorers led for the entire game after starting with a 3-0 lead. With only 40 seconds left in regulation, they tried to clear their zone and accidentally slammed Brendan Shanahan in the face with the puck. While he was down, the whistle went unheard over the roar of the crowd as the Blue Jackets scored on the Wings’ empty net. Naturally, the goal was disallowed. Then with just 11.2 seconds on the clock, Detroit’s Pavel Datsyuk “tapped a pass from Brett Hull into the net” to knot the score at 5-5. Goalie Manny Legace thanked his teammates, “It was awesome. The guys bailed me out of a huge, huge hole. We’re battling for the No. 1 spot, and I came out flat.”

The score remained tied through a scoreless overtime. Both Denis and Legace had faced 35 shots on goal and allowed five goals for a save percentage of .857. The 65-minute game gave Denis 4,451 minutes, topping Brodeur’s record by nearly 20 minutes. Denis commented, “’I cherish every moment of it, but I’d much rather be getting ready for the playoffs.” With 69 points (29-42-8-3), Columbus finished 28th out of 30 teams. After playing one last game on April 6, Denis finished the season with the new record for most minutes played during a single season, 4,510:55.

Brodeur went out the next season to reclaim his record and add a few more awards while he was at it. His final game of the season took place April 4 at East Rutherford’s Continental Arena for a crowd of 19,040. In a flip of the 2003 game, this time it was his team in the hole 3-0. As teammate John Madden remarked, “Basically, the game was summed up in the first 10 minutes and we weren’t able to battle back.” The Devils were not able to score on the Boston Bruins until Jamie Langenbrunner had a power-play goal at 11:53 of the third period.

Having faced 24 shots and allowing three, Brodeur ended his 58:59 minutes with a save percentage of .875. Like Denis the year before, Brodeur was disappointed with his team’s ranking. Although the Devils had made the playoffs, they had a chance at third place only to sink to sixth in the Eastern Conference. “It is a big deal,” he said. “We had a chance. It was in our hands and they [Bruins] really wanted it. Having home-ice advantage, there’s a lot to be said for it in the playoffs.” They finished ninth overall with 100 points (43-25-12-2).

For the 2003-04, Brodeur had a total of 4,554:33, which topped Denis’s record by over 40 minutes. That season still ranks fourth in terms of most minutes played. Unsurprisingly, Brodeur won the Vezina Trophy as top goalie. He also received (for the second year in a row) the William M. Jennings Trophy for having the fewest goals against.

New Jersey had only 164 goals scored against them that season. It remains the franchise’s lowest, and it beat the NHL record for fewest goals against during seasons that included 80 or more games. The previous record (165) had been set by the St. Louis Blues in 1999-2000. The Blues have also been the only team to beat the Devils’ record, when they only allowed 155 goals during the 2011-12 season. Out of seasons with 70 or more games, this still ranks 15th while the Devils’ 2003-04 season ranks 26th.

As for the record for most minutes played, Brodeur outdid himself in two other seasons. He holds the current record of 4,696:33 for the 2006-07 season. Denis’s 2002-03 season has slid to fifth. Brodeur has four seasons in the top six. While Denis’s career lasted for 349 games, Brodeur’s featured a whopping 1,266 for a total of 74,438:20 in minutes, both NHL goaltender records.