MB30 Reunites Alumni For a Good Cause | FEATURE

For Hall of Fame goaltender Martin Brodeur, every September is an opportunity for his signature event, MB30, to bring people together. Whether it’s his former teammates or current players, this golf invitational is a way to reunite with members of the Devils organization and reconnect once a year.

“It’s a great day,” Brodeur shared. “It’s just before the season is about to get going. To see some of the older guys coming in, just supporting the cause (is special). This year we have a bunch of active players that are coming in so it’s nice for everybody here to see them also. It means a lot.”

“This is a great team,” former Devils forward Travis Zajac said. “Guys have won together, we’ve had some good teams together. The group wants to be together, they want to spend time together. It’s nice for everybody to come back for this event and for the Devils Youth Foundation, it’s a lot of fun.”

Although the brotherhood within the Devils organization is strong, there are not many people that can get former alumni, current players, and Devils stakeholders to take a Monday off when everyone’s schedules are packed after Labor Day. However, Martin Brodeur is the exception.

“It’s been electrifying to have a guy like Marty come in and say I want to find ways to give back to the community,” former Devils captain Bryce Salvador shared. “Without him being the face of something like this, it just wouldn’t have the scale that it does. He’s come in, he’s amplified it, and it’s great because he played for so long he touches so many different teams. You have players that I played with, and players that played before me or even after me. It’s always nice to come back each year, reminisce, and tell stories. The day starts early and finishes long.”

“He’s a Devil through and through,” former Devil Mike Rupp explained about Brodeur. “He gives back. If there’s a face to this organization, it’s Marty. Not just what he’s done on the ice, but now off the ice and in the later part of his career here. Anytime we can give back and help him out, it’s great.”

This year’s MB30 event was met with sunny skies, plenty of laughs and some swapping of old stories. In addition, the event raised money for the Devils Youth Foundation scholarship fund that is a partnership with DYF and the Devils alumni.

“We’re so excited to have our Alumni here today,” Devils Youth Foundation Executive Director Kate Whitman Annis explained. “Martin Brodeur is leading the group and they’re so actively involved in what we’re doing with DYF, we decided to create an Alumni scholarship fund. Last year was our inaugural year, this year we’ll be doing it again. It goes 50-thousand dollars to 10 high school seniors to help them as they graduate from high school and continue on in their educational career.

“Now that we’re able to target the funds towards high school seniors in New Jersey, we’re really able to see a difference,” Annis continued. “The responses that we got in the application process, these kids are amazing. They’re out there in the community, they’re playing hockey, they’re playing sports, they’re volunteering, it’s really directly impacting the children of New Jersey and that’s what we want to do at the Devils Youth Foundation.”

For Brodeur and his former teammates, giving back and supporting the community is a part of who they are.

“It’s an easy thing for us to do to raise some money for our charity with the Devils Youth Foundation,” Brodeur shared. “It’s always a lot of fun to see these guys back. Everybody cares about the organization, they’re willing to come back down to hang out and do something good.”