Brodeur Returns! Goalie resigns with Devils, now wait for Parise

After toying with the idea of testing the free agent waters, Devils goalie Martin Brodeur will indeed finish his career in the Garden State.

Brodeur signed a two-year $9 million contract extension with the Devils that will keep the NHL's best goaltender with his original team.

"I'm really happy," Brodeur told ESPN.com on Monday morning. "Deep down what I always wanted was to re-sign with New Jersey. I'm glad the Devils stepped up when they did. As the process went on I was certainly intrigued by what was out there. But this is really what I wanted."

Reports indicate that Brodeur had multi-year offers on the table from other teams, but once New Jersey came around with the second year it was a no-brainer a deal would be reached.

Last season Brodeur turned back the clock and helped lead the Devils to the Stanley Cup Finals, where New Jersey ultimately lost to the Los Angeles Kings in six games.

With Brodeur under contract the Devils are now waiting to see what veteran Zach Parise decides to do.

There were rumors late Moday that Parise would sign with the Pittsburgh Penguin, but that was quickly exstinguished as a false Twitter rumor. Parise stated late Monday that he has not made a decision and is in no rush to do so.

The Devils are still in the mix to bring back the 27-year-old wingman, but they have competition in the Penguins, Detroit Red Wings, Chicago Blackhawks, Nashville Predators, and Minnesota Wild. Parise is from Minnesota.

If the Devils lose Parise, it would be a major blow, considering he had 31 goals and 69 points as Devils captain.

With the Devils in financial straits thanks to the ownership fallout with Jeffery Vanderbek, it should be interesting to see how much the Devils can pay their star player.