Devils maintain status quo in goal, sign Brodeur, Hedberg

Martin Brodeur, upon signing a new two-year deal to return to the New Jersey goal, said he was in touch with team captain Zach Parise during the opening of the free agency period.

"The Devils are right in there with him," the goalies said. "He's really weighing his options. Hopefully he'll make the right decision. By no means is he thinking about not coming back."

Then, on the second day of free agency, as people waited for his decision, Parise, the heart and soul of this hockey team ... said he needed a little more time.

Talking to the media in Toronto, Parise said, "I'm getting closer but haven't made a decision. I haven't set any deadlines."

Earlier in the day, the second day of free agency, the Devils signed both of their aging goalies, Brodeur and Johan Hedberg, to two-year contracts, taking both off the market.

"Everybody knows, or should have known, that this is where I wanted to be," Brodeur said after entertaining offers from at least Chicago and Toronto before staying home. "I'm really excited that we were able to get it done. It took a little longer than I thought to be answered by the Devils, but they finally came through yesterday early evening.

"This is all I know. To be honest, I wasn't sure I'd be ready to start my life somewhere else. My family is here and my family loves it. My setup in New Jersey is as good as it's going to get. I wanted to finish my career here, to a certain extent. But I need that security, also, to have that extra year on the contract. That was really an important thing for me where I am in my career, the age I am and with the lockout looming. That was a security I thought I deserved and I wanted, and I was able to get it."

Brodeur, 40, refused to say this is his final contract. He will again have Hedberg, 39, as his backup.

"It will definitely bring stability to the back end of our team," Brodeur said. "It's nice to be able to count on somebody who is able to play a bulk of the games. That really helped me out this year to be able to be fresh and play well on the back end of this season and into the playoffs.

"It's definitely a nice setup, but it doesn't help the future goaltending of the Devils, that's for sure (because of the ages of the two goalies)."