Devils goalie Martin Brodeur rejoined the team in practice this afternoon for the first time since he sprained his right knee Feb. 6 in Montreal.

Backup Johan Hedberg has gone 4-0 while Brodeur has been idled with the injury.

According to NJ.com, Brodeur has not ruled out playing Saturday at Carolina.

“Heddy is playing really well. I don’t want to jeopardize that just for me to get a game. We need to win games and he’s playing well now,” Brodeur said, according to the website.

“For me it’s a matter of getting myself ready and, when I’m called upon, going in and trying to do the job.”

Brodeur said the injury responded after he skated on his own Wednesday.

“It felt pretty good. No change from yesterday,” he said. “I did whatever I wanted to do out there.

“I’ve been skating for a few days. That shouldn’t be an issue. It’s the reflex and reaction I was looking for more.”

GM Lou Lamoriello would not speculate when Brodeur might play except to douse expectations by saying, “He hasn’t been practicing for a while. This will be a good test for him, a full practice.”

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In addition, the Devils recalled C Jacob Josefson, returning from hand surgery, assigned D Jay Leach to Albany, and placed C Tim Sestito on waivers.

With Mark Everson