By going 15-2-2 since their captain was traded to Dallas Jan. 7, the Devils have turned the page. Don’t expect them to turn the other cheek.
Dainius Zubrus said he might have a defensive elbow handy for protection against Jamie Langenbrunner tonight in Dallas.
“If he comes hard,” Zubrus said.
The Devils’ Preposterous Dream and seven-game winning streak takes a one-night back seat to the reunion with their three-year captain, who has not been replaced since his departure.
It was Sept. 26, 2008 when Langenbrunner ran teammate Zubrus into the boards during a training camp scrimmage.
“He grabbed me, and I said, ‘Really? You want to do this?’ And he kept going, so we went at it,” Zubrus said.
It could have been called “delay of game,” the way they avoided injuring each other — and themselves — but Langenbrunner later said he was trying, as captain, to light a fire under Zubrus.
Zubrus exaggerated his success in that bout when describing it to Ilya Kovalchuk, and said he doesn’t expect to feel strange seeing Langenbrunner back in a Stars uniform.
“I’ve seen it a lot. I’ve been ‘Suitcase’ for a while,” Zubrus said.
Langenbrunner, 35, was a Star from 1994 through 2002, until he was dealt to the Devils with Joe Nieuwendyk for Jason Arnott, Randy McKay and a first-rounder. As a Devil, he prompted strong opinions. He was one of the heroes of their improbable — and last –Stanley Cup championship, sharing the NHL playoff goal-scoring lead in 2003. He was a clutch scorer, although a streaky one, but it was his grit that was his greatest attribute. He came back only eight days after knee arthroscopy during the 2009 playoffs.
Late last season, controversy erupted over his objection to being left out of the lineup for rest last April 3, ending his consecutive game streak at 151, requiring him to travel to-and-from Raleigh to watch. Another issue was coach Jacques Lemaire’s offer that night of the captain’s “C” to Colin White, which White refused. Some blame for the team’s loss to the Flyers, who went to the Finals, was wrongly laid at his feet.
When the Devils faced the absolute need to shed salary cap liability during training camp, or forfeit games, general manager Lou Lamoriello asked Langenbrunner to waive his no-trade claude to go to Dallas. Langenbrunner refused at the time, but after the Devils collapsed and Langenbrunner’s struggles mirrored those of the team, he reluctantly agreed — believing he was helping the franchise begin its rebuilding.
The Flyers made the Devils a better offer for Langenbrunner than they received from Dallas, and now, the Flyers are said to be working a deal with the Stars. Undoubtedly Langenbrunner is being discussed.
Langenbrunner was almost universally admired in the Devils’ room, yet it may be instructive to see how the Devils play against him tonight.
“It will be a little odd,” Langenbrunner said of facing the team he so recently captained.
*
Johan Hedberg was named the NHL’s second star of last week yesterday for going 3-0 and allowing three total goals in two victories over Carolina and a 1-0 shutout of the Rangers. Hedberg has won six straight since Martin Brodeur suffered a right knee sprain Feb. 6, and raised his record to 12-10-2 this season, with a 2.45 goals-against average. The 37-year-old stands 7-0-1 in his last eight decisions, matching yet bettering his career-longest point streak of 6-0-2 of 2002-03 with Pittsburgh. San Jose goalie Antti Niemi was chosen the league’s first star of the week and Oilers right wing Ales Hemsky was named the third star.
The Devils visit the Lightning Friday and Panthers Sunday to complete their four-game road trip. . . The Devils have won four straight road games and seven of nine after losing 11 straight away from Newark. . . . The Devils seek an eight-game winning streak, which would match their longest of last season. . . They must finish 17-6 to reach 88 points, fewest to reach the playoffs in the shootout era. They’ve managed 32 points in 18 games, and need 34 in 23.