NHL

Without captain Langenbrunner, Devils lose to Flyers

Sources have told The Post that on-the-block Jamie Langenbrunner was asked to waive his no-trade protection as long ago as September, leaving him a lame-duck Devils captain since.

Langenbrunner suddenly is in limbo after sitting out the Devils’s 4-2 loss to the Flyers last night in Newark, awaiting a trade believed imminent. The league doormat Devils fell for the third straight game and 14th time in 16, leaving coach Jacques Lemaire 1-6 since replacing John (9-22-2) MacLean.

The Langenbrunner bidding broke wide open after yesterday’s report in The Post that the Devils are auctioning their captain. They already tried last month to launch a housecleaning, but were unable to move Brian Rolston, even at half price. Trading the captain, though, is big stuff.

“The only thing I know is that before the game, Lou [Lamoriello] told me Jamie will not be playing,” Lemaire said.

This isn’t a simple trade. It takes three to tango in this one.

Besides an agreement between the Devils and their preferred trading partner, the Devils’ captain himself will have to accept the destination, and sources say he would be most likely to waive his no-trade clause for a deal to the Flyers, Penguins, Caps or Bruins. Sources say he was asked to waive his no-trade clause again last week, to launch the current auction, with the Devils likely demanding draft picks and prospects.

The Flyers would probably be Langenbrunner’s first choice, because of proximity to his family in New Jersey, and the Flyers are said to be offering two draft picks for the 35-year-old. If Philadelphia proves to be his destination, the deal might not become final until after the Devils visit the Flyers tomorrow afternoon.

One source suggested Dallas, where old friend Joe Nieuwendyk is GM, as a destination, and an offer from there in preseason probably prompted the September no-trade waiver request. There has been significant interest from West Coast teams such as Los Angeles and San Jose, but Langenbrunner would likely resist any such deal.

If the deal is completed, Langenbrunner would become the third Devil to be traded away as captain, joining Mel Bridgman and Kirk Muller.

“I consider him a best buddy, the best captain I’ve ever had in the National Hockey League,” David Clarkson said. “We’ll miss him.”

Langenbrunner needs only four games to reach the 1,000-game milestone, but it appears he will not be celebrating that night as a Devil.

He stands 232-388-620 in 996 career games, plus-57, but fared even better in the playoffs, where his four career overtime winners are tied with Chris Drury for the lead among actives. He shares the franchise record for playoff game-winners at six with Patrik Elias, Claude Lemieux, Scott Stevens and Petr Sykora.

Langenbrunner was Dallas’ second round pick in 1993, and is playing his 14th NHL season, ninth with New Jersey. He won a Stanley Cup with Dallas in 1999, lost in the finals to the Devils in 2000, and was traded to New Jersey with Nieuwendyk for Jason Arnott, Randy McKay and a first-rounder March 19, 2002.

The right wing shared the 2003 playoff goal-scoring lead as the Devils won their third and last Cup. He succeeded Elias to become the Devils’ eighth captain on Dec. 5, 2007.

Langenbrunner heroically returned only one week after arthroscopic knee surgery during the 2009 playoffs. He missed eight games this season with a herniated disc in his neck, and stood 4-10-14 in 31 games, and minus-15.

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With an assist on Dainius Zubrus’ game-opening goal, Elias took the all-time point-scoring lead in the series against the Flyers with his 65th career point, one more than MacLean had against Philly. Brian Propp is Philly’s leading all-time point getter against New Jersey with 62. . . . After the Devils visit Philly tomorrow afternoon they play host to Tampa Sunday.

Zubrus was pressed back into the lineup with Langenbrunner out. He is nursing what is believed to be a sore ankle or foot. . . . Johan Hedberg made his second straight start and fourth straight appearance. He gave up a dubious goal to Scott Hartnell on a hard carom off the end boards into the slot.

mark.everson@nypost.com