Martin Brodeur Will Not Start The Season In Net

It's something like the end of an era: Someone other than Marty Brodeur will man the pipes for the Devils on opening night, breaking an 18-season (20-year) streak. The team announced that new acquisition Cory Schneider will start tomorrow night at Pittsburgh, with Brodeur back in net on Friday against the Islanders.

New Jersey gave up the ninth overall pick to get Schneider from Vancouver, where the goaltending situation had become untenable. He's the obvious heir apparent to the 41-year-old Brodeur, who's struggled with injury and declining numbers in recent years, and is in the final season of his contract.

Many have pegged this as the season Brodeur finally becomes a backup, but Peter DeBoer says don't take him out back with the shotgun just yet. The Devils coach says the decision was made to give Brodeur an extra day of rest after his father died last Thursday. Brodeur had previously been given the organization's public vote of confidence as the starter, but that was before Schneider had a lights-out preseason.

The last time Brodeur didn't start the season in goal was 1993, when Chris Terreri got the nod. Ken Daneyko and Valeri Zelepukin scored for the Devils that night. Cory Schneider was seven years old.