Well, well, well. The Masters odds loom and the New Jersey Devils are playing like they’d rather be at home watching golf than playing playoff hockey. Luckily for them, they built a big enough division lead that they’ll still be very active in the Stanley Cup odds. But you have to wonder if Scott Clemmensen is smiling in his AHL prison right now.

Martin Brodeur returned about a month ago with flair and NHL betting fans were rejoicing. But some people — myself included — wondered what the shakeup, not to mention Scott Clemmensen’s unceremonious demotion, would do to the Devils’ chemistry.

Now, they’ve lost six in a row — included an embarrassing 6-1 drubbing against Pittsburgh last night — and there’s no sign that the bleeding will stop. It’s only natural to wonder if Brodeur’s return made the team sit back a bit to admire the work they did in his absence.

In the end, I say New Jersey bounces back. Brent Sutter is a great coach and Marty will find a way to recover. But Devils fans’ have to worry about their Stanley Cup betting hopes right now. A lot will depend on whom they face in the first round.

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.

Put the Super Bowl XLIII betting chatter on the back burner for just a moment. Something crazy is happening in NHL betting.

Let’s a play a trivia game.

The Devils are 29-15-3. They’re first in the Atlantic division. Patrick Elias is averaging well over a point per game. Their stalwart netminder is 19-9-1 with a 2.29 GAA and .922 save percentage.

…OK, NHL betting players. What year is it?

If you said any year from 1994-2008, you’re WRONG. Those are the Devils’ current season stats. The superb goalie numbers belong to the immortal Scott Clemmensen.

That’s right — the Devils are doin’ it all without Martin Brodeur.

What the hell? Weren’t they supposed to tank without him? Wasn’t Marty on the fast track to becoming the best goalie of all time?

Sheesh…maybe it was the defense after all. I’ve always had just a tiny inkling that Brodeur was a bit overrated, and this only fuels the fire. Those who bet on hockey must be worried too, though we won’t really know the truth unless the Devils have to play without Marty in the playoffs…