Intro:

Goaltender Martin Brodeur formally announced his retirement on Thursday (29th January) to take a front-office position with St. Louis, where he wrapped up his career after 21 seasons with the New Jersey Devils.

Script:

SOUNDBITE (English): Martin Brodeur, Retiring To Join The Blues Front Office

"This is a great day for me, I'm excited to start a new chapter in my hockey career. This is something I've been thinking about for a long time and this is a great opportunity that the St. Louis Blues organisation, (Blues Chairman and Governor) Todd Stillman and (General Manager) Doug Armstrong that are giving me and trusting me into doing. In the same token this is going to be something that is going to be as close as a hockey player, I'll be able to be involved with the hockey operation and being close with the guys and the coaches and the managers so this is going to be a great challenge for me."

SOUNDBITE (English): Martin Brodeur, Three-time Stanley Cup Champion

"I had a blast for the month and a half that I was here. I was treated with as much respect as anybody else and they really took me in in their family and for me that meant a lot and when the goalie situation got healthy and I think everybody has to understand there was no promises from the organisation towards me. They have two solid goaltenders and so for me to come in and help them out was a great opportunity for me to get back in the game and see if I still like it and see if I could still play the game and both questions were answered. I know I can play and I know I still can have fun with this game and for me just the fact that they got healthy was harder for me to stay around - you know I'm a competitive guy, it was hard to stay on the sideline and that's why I decided to take my retirement."

SOUNDBITE (English): Martin Brodeur, Three-time Stanley Cup Champion

"You know what? The thing about hockey for me, I'm really competitive but I love to have fun and I'm leaving the game with a big smile on my face, you know, I don't think if I would have done that last year it would have been the case."