Blues GM Armstrong: Brodeur can win games for us

St. Louis Blues general manager Doug Armstrong joined NHL Live to discuss the signing of goalie Martin Brodeur. The NHL's all-time leader in wins (688) and shutouts (124) signed a one-year contract with the Blues on Tuesday.

Armstrong began talking with Brodeur's agent, Pat Brisson, in the summer, when he told him he was comfortable with Jake Allen and Brian Elliott as his goaltenders. Brisson called Armstrong back in October stating that Brodeur still wanted to play and to contact him if anything changed.

After Elliott sustained a lower-body injury Nov. 25, Armstrong called Brisson to inquire if Brodeur still wanted to play. Talks picked up in the next 24 hours before Brodeur was brought in on a tryout and eventually signed.

"It's just giving us some protection with a busy schedule coming up here and very important games on the horizon with an experienced goaltender to pair with Jake Allen until Elliott gets healthy," Armstrong said.

Selected in the first round (No. 20) in the 1990 NHL Draft, Brodeur played 21 seasons for the New Jersey Devils and won the Stanley Cup three times. The likely Hockey Hall of Fame member also won gold medals for Canada at the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics and the 2010 Games in Vancouver.

Brodeur, who started practicing with the Blues on Nov. 28, will play either Thursday against the Nashville Predators or Saturday against the New York Islanders. Allen will start Wednesday against the Chicago Blackhawks (8 p.m. ET; NBCSN).

"One of the reasons we did this was Jake Allen's a very good goaltender, but we don't want to put him in a spot where we have to overplay him and subject him to injury," Armstrong said. "So, [Brodeur] is going to get one of these two games, whether it's Thursday or Saturday. I think a lot will depend on how the team performs tomorrow night in Chicago. We're bringing him in here to play and the mandate is we'll bring him here because we think we can win hockey games for us."

A four-time Vezina Trophy winner, Brodeur is 12 wins from 700 in his career.