ST. LOUIS -- Martin Brodeur wanted to keep playing and the St. Louis Blues needed some help in net.
So one of the best goalies in league history will stick around for at least one more season.
The Blues signed the 42-year-old Brodeur to a one-year contract, picking up the NHL's leader in games, wins and shutouts while Brian Elliott is out with a knee injury. Coach Ken Hitchcock has said Elliott is week to week.
Brodeur joined St. Louis late last week and participated in his first full practice on Monday. He played 21 seasons for the New Jersey Devils, leading them to three Stanley Cups, and had been looking to resume his career since the offseason.
Brodeur said he knew before practice Tuesday that he'd be signing.
"I've been waiting for a great opportunity and it came from the Blues," Brodeur said. "I feel good in the net."
Elliott is out indefinitely and Brodeur likely will share duties with 24-year-old Jake Allen. Allen is likely to start Wednesday at Chicago and Brodeur is expected to make his Blues debut Thursday at Nashville.
"This is a big change for me," he said. "I spent the last four days enjoying my time here and really putting everything in perspective if I was ready to do this.
"I talked to friends and family. This is the right move for me to do."
Elliott was tied for second in the NHL with a 1.82 goals-against average, going 8-4-1. Allen was 8-2-1 with a 2.16 goals-against average.
New Jersey made Brodeur the 20th pick in the 1990 draft. He won the Calder Trophy as rookie of the year in 1994, appeared in 10 All-Star games and led the NHL in wins nine times, shutouts five times and games played six times.
Brodeur is a four-time Vezina Trophy winner, the last time in 2008, and a five-time Jennings Trophy winner, the last time in 2010. He was 19-14-6 with a 2.51 goals-against average, .901 save percentage and three shutouts in 39 games last season.
Overall, he's 688-394-176 with a 2.24 goals-against average, .912 save percentage and 124 shutouts. He holds most major regular-season goaltending records including games (1,259).
Brodeur is a three-time Olympian for Canada, earning gold medals in 2002 and 2010.