Blues name Brodeur assistant general manager

Martin Brodeur has agreed to a three-year contract to be assistant general manager of the St. Louis Blues, general manager Doug Armstrong announced Wednesday.

Brodeur retired Jan. 29 after playing the final seven games of his career with the Blues; he spent the remainder of the season as a senior adviser to Armstrong.

"It's a great opportunity," Brodeur told the Blues website. "I got a little taste of it last season and really enjoyed being around Doug and the organization. It's a good fit for me, and it works out well. I'm really happy about it.

"I want to put the work in. I want to learn how everything works, to learn the organization. I'm committed to do the work and do as much as I can to help the team get better. It's a good fit for me to be able to learn what I have to learn."

Asked if he feels like a rookie again, he replied, "Exactly."

Brodeur, 43, played 21 seasons with the New Jersey Devils before his brief stint with the Blues. He won the Stanley Cup three times and the Vezina Trophy four times with New Jersey, and retired as the League's all-time regular-season leader in wins (691), shutouts (125), games played (1,266) and minutes played (74,438). Brodeur is also first all time in Stanley Cup Playoff starts (204) and shutouts (24), and second in wins (113).

Brodeur told NorthJersey.com last week that he believed the Devils were heading in a different direction under Ray Shero, who was hired to replace Lou Lamoriello as general manager May 4.

He told the Blues website that getting into management after his playing career ended "had been in the back of my mind," and said he and his family "enjoyed our time here in St. Louis. We felt comfortable right from the get-go."

The Blues finished first in the Central Division this season but were eliminated by the Minnesota Wild in the Western Conference First Round. Despite the playoff disappointment, Brodeur said he feels the franchise is on track for success.

"I think the direction we're having right now, and that we're going to continue to have, will be a successful one," he said. "Hopefully we'll break out of that little slump we had in the playoffs."