TRENTON – While the Devils open 40 days of pre-Newark nomadism here tonight, vital winger Jamie Langenbrunner is taking a trip on his own, expected to result in sports hernia surgery.
The rub is that the hernia could have been repaired this summer and Langenbrunner would then be ready to face the Flyers in the exhibiiton opener tonight.
Instead, Langenbrunner is scheduled to fly to Montreal Wednesday for an examination with a specialist, likely to lead to surgical repair.
As revealed in Saturday’s Post, Langenbrunner tried a rest cure all summer for the injury he now admits was initially suffered in February. It recurred this month, keeping him out of training camp.
Recovery times vary and surely will depend on the injury itself, but he could be out 6-8 weeks, then require significant time to regain full fitness. His summertime rest cure prevented his usual training regimen, leaving him out of game shape, and further behind following surgery.
Langenbrunner, 32, said he wishes he’d gone straight for surgery during the offseason.
“That decision was made, but in hindsight, yeah,” said Langenbrunner, who played through the pain to finish tied for third in team scoring with 60 points and 23 goals. He played all 82 regular season and 11 playoff games, but his games-streak surely will end at 144 games.
“I’d just like to get something done,” Langenbrunner said. “I feel fine doing normal stuff, but when I get out of my comfort zone and get skating, then it’s there.”
Langenbrunner is one of the Devils’ prototypical players, gritty and gutsy, whose substantial offensive production is his secondary characteristic. He served as an alternate captain and would surely be a candidate for captain this season, if surgery didn’t loom. New coach Brent Sutter has thrown open the team’s captaincy, held last season by Patrik Elias.
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With six exhibitions on the slate, Devils are expected to dress a large number of veterans, despite having just three previous days of official camp. They visit Manchester, N.H., Thursday to face the Bruins, then invade the Garden Friday to meet Scott Gomez and the Rangers.