Blues' Brodeur seeing draft from new perspective

Friday, 06.26.2015 / 6:36 PM

By Adam Kimelman - NHL.com Deputy Managing Editor / 2015 NHL Draft blog

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2015 NHL Draft blog
Blues' Brodeur seeing draft from new perspective

SUNRISE, Fla. -- Martin Brodeur is at the 2015 NHL Draft, his first as an executive, 25 years after he was drafted by the New Jersey Devils.

Brodeur joined the St. Louis Blues' front office in January after retiring as a player. He spent the remainder of the season as a special assistant to general manager Doug Armstrong and started learning how an NHL front office works. Then, on May 20, he was hired as Blues assistant general manager.

Most of his work has been on the professional side, but once St. Louis' season ended, he began sitting in on amateur scouting meetings.

Brodeur said Friday that it's been an eye-opening experience for him. During his 22-season playing career, the final seven games of which he played with the Blues after 21 seasons with the Devils, he rarely took time to think about how the amateur scouting department worked.

"A lot of the things we're doing now, I had no clue how they worked," he said. "As a player I didn't pay attention; I just showed up and played hockey. There's a lot of hard work for our scouts and days like today you realize how important it is for them and its pretty cool."

The Blues have six picks but none until the No. 56 selection in the second round. They also have two picks in the fourth round, two in the fifth round and one in the sixth round. Their first-round pick was traded to the Buffalo Sabres last season as part of the Ryan Miller trade. The Sabres traded that pick, No. 21, on Friday to the Ottawa Senators for goaltender Robin Lehner.

Brodeur said he's done a lot of listening and watching during meetings but has had some input. As a three-time Stanley Cup champion and the winningest goaltender in League history, he certainly has a valuable perspective.

"When you're looking at making your list ... the scouts are talking about the players they want on the list," he said. "Then it's about me giving my input as far as the character of the guy, what type of player, the family. These guys, they interview and scout them to death now. You're taking time and trying to bring a kid into your family, your city; you want to make sure you do the right thing and give the opportunity to these kids to be successful. I have a lot of experience playing with so many different players."

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