It's official: former fan favorite and former New Jersey Devils captain Jamie Langenbrunner has been acquired by the Dallas Stars for a conditional third round draft pick. We'll have more on this very shortly on what it means for the team, but for now discuss and debate on how you feel about Langenbrunner returning to Dallas.
We're discussing it here, and here.
Let's also talk about what we think might happen to the bottom of the lineup with the extra body added. Someone will eventually have to get through waivers most likely as carrying 14 and scratching two when you're healthy is not exactly a coach's first choice.
Brandon Segal has a two way deal and makes significantly less at the AHL level. That makes him an ideal candidate for waivers if the goal is to save money. Sutherby is scratched frequently. Barch we feel is probably safe and of course Mr. Petersen isn't going anywhere.
Do they keep 14 bodies, thinking that injuries will necessitate the inconvenience? Try the trade market? Pray Segal gets through waivers? One interesting benefit of that would be that Aaron Gagnon would not need to be called up as often. He has played 7 games already and when he gets to 10 he would need to clear waivers a second time.
What do you think of the move overall?
Frisco, Tex. - Dallas Stars General Manager Joe Nieuwendyk announced today that the NHL club has acquired right wing Jamie Langenbrunner from the New Jersey Devils in exchange for a conditional third round pick in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft.
Langenbrunner, 35, is returning to the Stars - the team that he was drafted by (1993 second round, 35th overall) and played the first six and a half NHL seasons with (1995-2002). Now in his 14th NHL season, he has appeared in 996 career games, scoring 232 goals and 388 assists for 620 points and 776 penalty minutes. A two-time Stanley Cup Champion (Dallas 1999, New Jersey 2003), Langenbrunner's four career playoff overtime goals are tied-for-first (also Chris Drury) among active players.
"We are very excited to add Jamie to our team," said Nieuwendyk. "He fits the mold of the type of players we want on this roster - strong work ethic, tough, passionate, and hard to play against. All of our fans got to see first-hand what kind of a player Jamie is when he broke into the league in the nineties and was part of our Stanley Cup team in 1999. We are thrilled to be able to bring him back to Dallas."
The Stars enter the second half of the season this evening vs. the New York Rangers in first place in the Pacific Division with a record of 24-13-4 for 52 points.
Langenbrunner had served as New Jersey's team captain since Dec. 5, 2007. The 6-1, 205-pound winger also served as captain for Team USA at the 2010 Olympic Games in Vancouver, leading the United States to a Silver Medal with one goal and three assists in six games. Langenbrunner set a career-high in assists last season with 42 while his 61 points were the second-most of his career (his high was 69 in 2008-09). He scored his first NHL hat trick on Jan. 2, 2010, at Minnesota.
Langenbrunner spent his first eight NHL seasons in Dallas before being traded to New Jersey with Joe Nieuwendyk on March 19, 2002, in exchange for Jason Arnott, Randy McKay and a first round draft pick in 2002.