Forget his great numbers for just a second.  NHL betting fans should know, based solely on the fact that this is my third post about him in the last two months, that Scott Clemmensen has been a revelation for the Devils this season — and for online betting fans who stuck with New Jersey sans Martin Brodeur.

OK, back to the numbers:

- 39 starts

- 25-13-1 record

- 2.39 GAA

- .917 save percentage

- two shutouts

Those aren’t just stopgap numbers; those are viable starting netminder numbers. That makes it all the more painful to see that the Devils just demoted Clemmensen to the AHL upon Brodeur’s return from injury. I knew Brodeur would get his job back, but who would’ve predicted this shabby treatment at the sportsbook?

I understand Lou Lamoriello’s logic from a franchise standpoint; (a) Marty is your all-time greatest player, so he naturally gets the reins back as soon as he’s ready and (b) You risk losing Kevin Weekes since he has to clear waivers to be sent down, so Clemmensen has to go.

Long-term, though, is this the right move? Now you piss off Clemmensen, who will be an unrestricted free agent this summer, and virtually assure he won’t be back as insurance to Marty. Maybe the Devils already know that or maybe they plan to deal one of their backup goalies very soon, but it’s still a risky move considering that Marty isn’t guaranteed to stay healthy the rest of the year. Wouldn’t you rather lose Kevin Weekes than Scott Clemmensen at this point? Those who bet on hockey should watch Brodeur closely, as his play could really affect the Devils’ nightly online betting prospects if he gets the lion’s share of starts going forward.