While new coach Brent Sutter opened nominations for the Devils’ captaincy, winger Jamie Langenbrunner resumed a regimen of rest in an unlikely second bid to avoid surgery that could sideline him for months.
Langenbrunner, who played each of the Devils’ 93 regular-season and postseason games last season said little after sitting out yesterday’s opening camp workout. Sources, however, claim he tried a rest cure all summer for what the Devils call a “groin” injury, only to have it recur this month.
Surgery appears a real possibility for the 32-year-old, who apparently played for months with the injury last season, stretching his current streak to 144 straight games. Langenbrunner was third on the team with 60 points and 23 goals last season.
Meanwhile, Sutter said the coaching staff will decide on this season’s captain and alternates. Patrik Elias was the captain last season.
Elias seemed surprised at the possibility of not being captain, after leading the team in scoring for the sixth time in seven seasons and owning the franchise career playoff scoring record.
“It’s all right,” he said. “I’ll just play my game and do what I have to do. No question, it means something. It’s a big honor to be captain of this team.”