Jamie Langenbrunner’s name will join the ranks of Peterborough Petes legends tonight, as the team honours the two-time Stanley Cup champion with a banner-raising ceremony at the Memorial Centre. The Petes alumnus, who played two seasons with the team in the mid-1990s, is being recognized for his outstanding career and contributions to the sport.
Langenbrunner’s path to Peterborough was unconventional. After being drafted by the Petes in the fourth round in 1993, he was selected a couple of months later by the Dallas Stars out of high school hockey in Minnesota. His decision to leave the U.S. for the Ontario Hockey League was a bold move for the young player, and according to Jeff Twohey, who was the Petes’ General Manager at the time, it wasn’t an easy transition for Langenbrunner, but one that set him on a path to NHL stardom.
Twohey says the decision for Langenbrunner to leave his hometown of Cloquet, MN, wasn’t a popular one, leaving many in the small community of 12,603 angered. However, the young star saw the opportunity the OHL provided to play against the best, and that’s what he wanted.
That decision paid off in a big way. After his two seasons in Peterborough, where he put up 75 goals and 115 assists, Langenbrunner enjoyed a storied 18-year NHL career, winning Stanley Cups with the Dallas Stars in 1999 and the New Jersey Devils in 2003. He also captained the Devils from 2007 to 2011 and earned a silver medal with Team USA at the 2010 Winter Olympics. In 2023, he was inducted into the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame.
Although he hasn’t played with the Petes in three decades, Langenbrunner still holds the records for most assists by a rookie in one season (58) and for most points (91). Twohey says Langenbrunner’s impact went beyond just the points he put up, adding that his leadership and competitiveness were off the charts, which gave the Petes a real jolt when they were in a rebuilding phase after winning the OHL championship the season before.
Langenbrunner’s leadership and competitiveness were evident early in his time with the Petes, says Twohey, recalling a pivotal moment during a Game 7 in Oshawa when the young forward’s confidence and determination carried the team to victory.
Now an assistant general manager with the Boston Bruins, Langenbrunner remains connected to his time with the Petes, often heard reminiscing about the formative years he spent in Peterborough. His banner will hang alongside Petes legends Bob Gainey, Mickey Redmond, Colin Campbell, Roger Neilson, Scotty Bowman, Larry Murphy, Steve Yzerman, Dick Todd and Chris Pronger, marking his place in the team’s storied history.
Langenbrunner’s banner raising ceremony will take place tonight at the Peterborough Memorial Centre ahead of the Petes’ game against the Kingston Frontenacs.
(Written by: Scott Arnold)
