Jamie Langenbrunner returns to Dallas. In mid-season madness, the New Jersey Devils captain cleaned out his locker to move south, returning to the Dallas Stars, taking his old #15.
Langenbrunner, with 4 goals, 14 points in 31 games this season, waived his no-trade clause to come to Dallas and the Devils got a conditional Dallas' 3rd round draft pick in 2011. The Devils have only won 14 out of the last 16 games and seem to be on a downward spiral, so the are scrambling to make mid-season repairs and stay afloat as they sink to last place in the NHL.
The Stars are surprisingly springy in the Western Conference, losing and bouncing back strong with one of the best away game win records this season, holding a strong 3rd, and lead the Pacific Division standings heading into the second half of the season and have strong potential for the playoffs.
And now that Jere Lehtinen has retired, Dallas was in need of Langenbrunner's right shot and a shot of experience, having kissed the Cup twice in his career, once for Dallas and once for the Devils. Only Joe Nieuwendyk and Brenden Morrow were with the Stars when Langenbrunner was traded, along wtih Nieuwindyk, in 2002 for Jason Arnott, Randy McKa,y and a first-round pick.
“Just knowing Jamie personally, I know what he brings to the team and I’m excited about having him come,” said Brenden Morrow.
Langenbrunner didn't play in the Devils last game where they lost to the Flyers and having just arrived in Dallas today, he probably won't play tonight against the New York Rangers.
“I’m going to come there and be who I am,” said Langenbrunner. “I’ve always considered myself a leader in a certain way and I’m pretty sure I’m going to come and be the oldest guy on the team, but they’re doing a lot of good things there. I’m going to just come in and support what Brenden’s doing from a leadership aspect and just do what I can to play the game I know how to play. If that means stepping in on the third line or fourth line or second line, whatever it is, whatever they need me to do, I have no issues. It’s obviously a team that’s worked hard to get themselves in a good position and I just want to come in and support that.”
There are conditions on the trade.
"The conditions are, if we get to the playoffs and win the first round, it switches to a second, or if we re-sign Jamie,” Nieuwendyk clarified. A draft pick swap occurs with Devils GM Lou Lamoriello if Dallas signs Langenbrunner after he becomes a free agent. “If we sign him after July 1, we give him our second and he gives us his third.”
No one disagrees that Langenbrunner will be a positive asset for the mostly-youthful Dallas Stars.
Coach Marc Crawford said, "We happened to have No. 15 open and it's great that it is. He'll be a wonderful addition to our club."
Welcome back, Jamie.
Comments
This is GREAT NEWS!!! Jamie has always been a class player, and is a strong player on the ice. He will be able to move opponents off the puck for takeaways, and his skill moving the puck will greatly enhance the Stars power play.
Yes, what great news. If we can't have Jere Lehtinen, our previous righty, then Jamie is the next best thing. However, where did they get the $$ for him if they are so broke?
So, does that mean the suits think we're Cup contenders this year?
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