Jacques Lemaire says Jamie Langenbrunner will remain Devils' captain

On the first day of his first training camp as head coach of the Devils two years ago, Brent Sutter announced that he was stripping Patrik Elias of the captaincy and was beginning a search for a replacement.

Jacques Lemaire has no plans to do the same.

Lemaire, who rotated captains during his eight years with the Minnesota Wild, said today that Langenbrunner will remain the Devils' captain in 2009-10.

"I talked a little bit to (general manager Lou Lamoriello) about it and Jamie will stay as the captain," Lemiare told me during a telephone conversation earlier today. "I've heard a lot of great things about him, the great leadership that he has, the work ethic that he has. I think he has all the tools to be a captain. On the other hand, when the team has success and is stable and they have their own captain, I don't see it proper to change the way they're doing things. (In Minnesota), we were starting in the league (as an expansion team) and the players were young and rotating the captain was a good idea because the team wasn't established. Now that it's been eight years that they've had a team, probably they will name a player captain.

"In Jersey, it's totally different. It's been established for a long time. You have players who are leaders and (provide) great leadership. I'm sure that Jamie is one. Anyway, I've heard a lot of great things about him."

Lemaire's comments about Langenbrunner were part of a lengthy interview I did with him today. Some of the highlights of our conversation will appear in The Record and on northjersey.com on Thursday. I'll also post a much longer version on this site on Thursday.

Lemaire was speaking from his cottage in Montreal. He'll head to Calgary on Aug. 23 to attend the Canadian Olympic team's orientation camp (from Aug. 24 to Aug 27) and then return to Montreal for a few days before coming to New Jersey for the start of training camp.

The rookies report on Sept, 8 and the veterans on Sept. 12.

Lemaire said he has not had a chance to speak to Langenbrunner yet, but plans to do so (and meet with most of the other players individually) when he gets back to New Jersey. So far, the only players he has spoken to since he was hired on July 13 are Brendan Shanahan, who he met with in New Jersey last Monday before the Devils re-signed the 40-year-old left wing, and Martin Brodeur, who he ran into at a golf outing.

Among the other topics I discussed with Lemaire was Brian Rolstona and whether he views Rolston as a center or a wing.

"Rollie is a winger in my estimation," Lemaire said. "He's a winger because he's got a good shot, he's got good speed and he can use his best assets to his advantage on the wing. A centerman has so much to do and when you're a shooter, if you play center, you don't have a chance to shoot that puck. You don't get that puck as much. You do in your zone. You do in the neutral zone. But, as soon as the attack comes on, it's more the winger that gets it. That's why I feel that Rollie is a better winger than a center."

Rolston played almost exclusively at left wing during his three season with Lemaire with the Wild (and scored at least 30 goals all three seasons), but Lemaire believes he is capable of playing the right side as well. That might be necessary because Zach Parise and Patrik Elias are also left wings.

"I think a good player can play any side," Lemaire said.

You'll have to wait until Thursday for the rest.

Comments

[frankied]

It's the right move. Langenbrunner had a career year and they won the division. Why change it?

What they do need to do is give an 'A' to Parise already.

[Keith]

it worked out so why change it? but IMO elias should have never gotten it taken from him...

[rangerssuck]

Good call, Jamie was a good captain and should remain captain. I also agree with frankied that Parise should get a an A considering Madden is gone.

[devilstown]

The key to Langnebrunner's year was satying healthy, well at least till the playoffs. His first year with the "C" I don't think he was ever 100%. Personally, I would rotate the vacant "A" until mid-season (after the olympics), then if things are gong the way most of think they will, give it to Zach. I would prefer him to start the season without the additional pressure.

[Matt M.]

It's good to know that Coach Lemaire isn't going to strip Langenbrunner of the captaincy without first telling Langenbrunner.

As for Zach Parise as an alternate captain, I think that he might have the qualities, but his probable linemate is already the captain, so it might be better to have a big-minutes defenseman like Paul Martin get an "A."

[devilstown]

Good point Matt. Martin is just the type of player Lemaire might like as Assistant Captain. I would also like to see Martin join the offensive play more this season. Lemaire let Niedermeyer loose, I hope he doesn't put the collar on Martin, Greene and Oduya.

[njteech]

Great move by Coach Lemaire.
HE KNOWS PLAYERS...Saw him first hand dealing with Dano when he was hittin' rock bottom...Dano turned out ok...The guy has a gift....The game has changed , but coach knows character. Good and bad.....Jamie is solid

[Noam N. Kogen]

If Martin and Oduya would not be paired together, then both could be turned loose if both would be paired with a stay at home defenseman. That is, Martin with White or Salvador and Oduya with Salvador or White. Greene should be paired with either Mottau or Corrente.

I'm glad that Lemaire is keeping Langenbrunner as Captain. Martin would be an ideal alternate captain. I would like to see someone other than White as the other alternate captain.

I think Devils' fans won't miss Brent Sutter at all. Like John Madden, Sutter is addition by subtraction.

[JPL]

TG you're such a tease!

Glad to hear he's not disruptong the Captain

[RoShaCla]

Why would you make someone an A if the C is on their line??? The point of A's and C's on the ice is that they can talk to the refs about calls and everyone else isn't allowed to (although they still do in some situations. It doesn't seem to be too heavily enforced). They should keep Elias as an A on the second line and give the other to Martin.

And I agree with you Noam. I was excited when Sutter was initially hired, but both his playoff performances behind the bench left alot to be desired.

Now that I think about it, we should do a two captain set-up with Jamie and Patty. I think that would be both fair and pretty awesome.

[Andrew]

Thank you TG for keeping us all sane during the slowest month for hockey in the entire year.

[DTK]

That basically sums it up..ROLSTON IS WINGER, and WE ARE TRADING FOR A CENTER!!!!!!!
YEAH!!!

BUT WHO?

[Falcone]

I like it. I will admit I questioned Jamie's ability at the beginning of last year. But he proved me wrong. He had an extra step in his game and came to play. No problem with Jamie as the Captain.

Although I'd take the A away from White. Give one to Patty and one to Martin.

[Johlmri's Ghost]

Great update, TG. Looking forward to tomorrow's post.

[Frankie D]

...so if wayne gretzky and jari kurri were on the same line, you don't give an "A" to jari kurri because they are on the same line?

[Craigwell]

You guys have to stop the hate for Whitey. Guy gives you an eye and has been a loyal soldier and that's not enough? Fickle.

Even if his play has diminished and he didn't quite become the second coming of Scott Stevens, he's still a lifer like Sarge was, Dano, etc and I expect he'll be with the organization for a long while after hockey.

I wouldn't strip him of his A.

[Pete]

I like the idea of giving Martin the vacant A. Originally I was thinking Rolston since he and Lemaire love each other and he's also one of our big-time players (or at least he should be now), but you bring up a good point about him being on the same line with Elias. Besides, anything we can possibly do to make Paul Martin re-sign next summer should be done. We've already lost too many quality defensemen over the years, it's time we kept one.

[Noam N. Kogen]

Giving Patrik Elias would be a good move. White is not the same hockey player he was before the lockout. White does NOT have a no trade clause, so he can be traded without his consent. Pandolfo does have a no trade clause and likely would not waive that clause--unless he were to go back to Boston, his hometown. I know that White has guts and is a warrior but he's also a mistake-prone defenseman who would be known as an Apple Turnover if he were with the Rangers. The one player who left the Devils as a free agent whom they have not replaced adequately to date is Scott Niedermayer (then, again, Scott Niedermayer type players don't grow on trees and don't come around often). I get that.

White and/or Mottau likely would have to go in order to get a second line center. I like Mottau but he'll be an unrestricted free agent at the end of this upcoming season.

Devils will need to save cap space money to re-sign Paul Martin, who becomes an unrestricted free agent at the end of this upcoming season. Plus, they'll need to save some money in cap space for Zach Parise in a few years from now.

[DTK]

"A" should alternate..

PARISE needs one by far

[Tom]

Maybe we can give Malholtra an A when he signs.....

(I kid, I kid...)

[Keith]

alot of travel hockey teams and high school hockey teams have usually 2 captains with C's and then either 1 or 2 alternates as well. taking nothing away from langs but elias deserves to be captain. he has been with nj way longer than langs, he is our franchise leader in points and also holds lots of team records.

if it were up to me i would have elias and langs as our captains and then zach and martin as our alternates.

this all doesnt matter anyways who really cares but maybe pando has a much better year now with lemaire and maybe he gets maddens old A who knows haha

DOES ANYONE REMEBER WHEN ZUBRUS WAS OUR ALTERNATE CAPTAIN FOR LIKE A WEEK LOL???

[John S]

I think Elias should be a permanent "A", with either Martin/Parise getting the other or having it rotated.

[modnarm]

i think this just adds to the juicy theory of Lou acquiring a centerman. Lemaire already just said that Parise and Elias will be LW and Rolston will be most likely on the RW side of Elias. If we get a BETTER THAN ZUBRUS center to put between them, we'll have 2 of the best lines in the league. Maybe Rolston won't get as many goals cuz he'll be receiving the puck coming to him from the left side instead of the right side?.. but i think it'll be good. U got Rolston's cannon and Elias's slick moves and great shot.. just need the missing piece to link them together. Sorry but Zubes can't handle what they bring on the ice. IMO, Zubrus slowed down Gio and Elias.

So u got
Parise-Zajac-Langenbrunner
Elias-Center-Rolston
Shanahan-Zubrus-Clarkson (or Clarkson-Zubrus-Bergfors
Pandolfo-Pelley-Bergfors (.. Pando/PL3-Pelley-Shanahan

not bad at all mates. all we gotta do is GET THE CENTER ALREADY!

[Speedz]

what about Shanahan having an A? Like you guys said, spread it out among lines. He's got expierence. idk

[Topshlf]

@Keith

"DOES ANYONE REMEBER WHEN ZUBRUS WAS OUR ALTERNATE CAPTAIN FOR LIKE A WEEK LOL???"

Yes, I believe they called him Captain Chaos.

I am praying that TG is right with his belief that we are going to land a 2nd line center. A 3rd year of watching the ZuBust eliminate a second line scoring option is just to much to bear.