Martin Brodeur spotted at Rogers Centre chatting with MLSE CEO Tim Leiweke
New Jersey Devils goaltender Martin Brodeur, a surefire future Hockey Hall of Famer, took in the New York Yankees-Toronto Blue Jays game at Rogers Centre in Toronto, On. on Wednesday evening.
Usually that wouldn't be newsworthy, but Brodeur - a pending unrestricted free agent who is looking for a new team this offseason - was spotted talking with a person of enormous interest at the game:
At the Rogers Center and Tim Leiweke is talking with Martin Brodeur. Whatever that is. For what it's worth.
— Jeff Sammut (@JeffSammut590) June 25, 2014
Tim Leiweke is the CEO of Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment and has a reputation for taking an active role in recruiting big name players. Though his effectiveness as an NHL-level puck stopper is atrophying rapidly, there aren't many names bigger than "Brodeur" in professional hockey.
If the #leafs are wooing, it isn't being done subtly. RT @hinsperger: Here's a pic of Brodeur talking with Leiweke pic.twitter.com/KxOwVDiE8X”
— Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) June 26, 2014
Still, it's a bit of a surprise for Brodeur to surface in Toronto this week. The legendary Devils netminder had told The Bergen Record's Tom Gulliti on Tuesday that he didn't plan on visiting the cities of teams who expressed interest in signing him. He's also mentioned that he'd prefer to play in a U.S. market.
Perhaps this is just an innocent exchange of greetings and Brodeur is simply in town for the Joe Carter Classic celebrity charity golf tournament this week. Or perhaps there's more to it than that. The Toronto Maple Leafs will likely have a need for a backup goaltender, since they're expected to trade James Reimer this offseason.
Adding an additional layer of intrigue, it's perhaps worth noting that Brodeur's son Jeremy - a goaltender, of course - signed with the Oshawa Generals of the Ontario Hockey League earlier this month.