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Sometimes decisions are made that have a long-term impact on the shape of a team.
Team Canada isn't just another team, and the Heritage Classic isn't just another game.
Because of that, no two decisions had a bigger impact on the NHL trade deadline than the original Team Canada roster and the Vancouver Canucks' starting goaltender for last weekend's outdoor game.
Had Steve Yzerman put Martin St. Louis on Sochi Olympic team from the start, and had Canucks coach John Tortorella chosen to start Roberto Luongo last weekend at B.C. Place, those two stars likely would not have found themselves in different places.
Like a puck hitting the post and bouncing in or out, those moves changed the course of history.
"If Torts would've put Roberto in the net, I wouldn't have called (GM Mike Gillis) and Roberto wouldn't have been worried about anything," Luongo's agent, Pat Brisson, said in a phone interview. "We wouldn't have been talking, and I wouldn't have been asking to be granted permission to speak to teams, so therefore he might've still be a Canuck today."
Instead, Luongo returned to the Florida Panthers as Gillis sought a different direction for the Canucks' organization.
Meanwhile Brodeur is staying in Jersey.
Martin Brodeur is staying with the New Jersey Devils.
Despite speculation that the Devils were considering dealing the NHL’s career leader in wins, the 41-year-old will finish his 20th consecutive season in New Jersey after Wednesday’s trade deadline expired.
Devils general manager Lou Lamoriello refused to say whether any teams either inquired about Brodeur’s availability or they offered him to anyone. He also refused to say whether Brodeur had waived his no-trade clause or given him a list of teams to which he would agree to be traded.