Should Martin Brodeur be Canada's starter?

For anyone who watched the Canada-USA hockey game, you'll know there are questions about Martin Brodeur.

Is he still Canada's best goalie? Should his experience keep him in goal for Team Canada? Can he lead Canada to a gold medal?

The answer to each of these questions is no. Not if Canada's preliminary round game against the USA is any indication. Martin Brodeur allowed 3 goals on the first 15 shots. That is a .800 save percentage. That number wouldn't keep you in the net in the NHL, AHL, or a beer league. Canada lost 5-3 after outshooting the USA 45-23.

When he handled the puck (if you can call it that), Brodeur looked terrible and directly caused 2 of the 3 goals. The difference in the game was in fact goaltending, Ryan Miller played great, Martin Brodeur did not.

This is a point in the coaching career of Mike Babcock that will go down in history. Will he make the right decision and play Roberto Luongo the rest of the way, or will he hope the experience and reputation of Brodeur is enough to compensate for his poor play?

If Canada wins the Gold medal at the Vancouver Olympics, or any medal for that matter, you can bet it won't be because of Martin Brodeur. Rather, the team will have to put forward an impressive defensive effort in front of the aging goalie, and score enough goals to balance those he allows.

Please Mike Babcock, find it somewhere in your heart to play Roberto Luongo. He is Canada's goalie and Canada's hope for a gold medal. Let's get behind this hockey fans. We need to put Martin Brodeur out to pasture and let Roberto Luongo lead his team and his country to the Olympic Gold medal they so desperately want.

Let the games begin.

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