Playing Career
Originally selected in the 1972 NHL Entry Draft by the New York Islanders, Brodeur chose to begin his professional career in the World Hockey Association with the Quebec Nordiques. For seven seasons, he played with the Nordiques, with the 1975–76 season being his best playing 69 games and winning 44. During the 1976–77 season, his goaltending helped guide the Nordiques to the Avco World Trophy.
When the WHA folded following the 1978–79 season, the Islanders reclaimed his rights. However, he only played two games for them as he was the third goalie behind Billy Smith and Chico Resch, and was traded to the Vancouver Canucks prior to the 1980–81 NHL season. In his second season with the Canucks, he guided the team during their improbable playoff run to the finals. Interestingly enough, the Canucks eventually lost to Brodeur's old team, the Islanders. Following the Canucks' 6-5 overtime loss in Game 1, Brodeur infamously punched a camerman who was stationed along the runway between the bench and the locker room.
Brodeur was selected to play in the 1983 All-Star Game, but couldn't play due to an ear injury suffered in Toronto three days before the game. He remained with the Canucks for almost eight seasons until he was traded near the end of the 1987–88 NHL season to Hartford, where he ended his NHL career.
After his retirement, he founded his own hockey school in the Vancouver area. He also briefly worked as an analyst on Quebec Nordiques French TV telecasts.
He is also an artist, using oil on canvas, and has had several shows at Diskin Galleries in Vancouver. He is also remembered for being the goaltender that Wayne Gretzky scored the most on, 29 times in the NHL.
Read more about this topic: Richard Brodeur
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