Cloquet to Peterborough: The Career of Jamie Langenbrunner
Making big decisions on the next steps in your career, especially when you’re 17 years old, is never an easy task. This is something that Jamie Langenbrunner had to do when choosing to leave his hometown in Minnesota to come to Peterborough and play in the Ontario Hockey League. Throughout his career, Langenbrunner has always been known for his work ethic, versatility, and ability to rise to the occasion in crucial moments. He is the player to look to when needed most.
The Cloquet, Minnesota native, had an impressive high school career scoring 152 points in 70 games across 3 seasons while leading the team to back-to-back State Championship appearances. After his junior year season, Langenbrunner was named AP’s Minnesota High School Player of the Year. With stats like that, he caught the eye of NHL scouts which led him to be drafted 35th overall in the 1993 NHL Entry Draft by the Dallas Stars.
Rather than stay at Cloquet High School for his senior year, Langenbrunner decided to head North to Peterborough to make his debut in the Ontario Hockey League. He continued to dominate the second he stepped on the ice in Peterborough. In his first season with Peterborough, Langenbrunner tallied 33 goals and 58 assists for a total of 91 points across 62 games. Heading into his sophomore season in the OHL, Langenbrunner was confident in his ability to lead the team to success on the ice. During that season, Langenbrunner tallied 42 goals and 57 points for a total of 99 points. He also made his NHL debut for the Dallas Stars during the season.
After graduating from the OHL, Langenbrunner spent his first professional season with the Michigan K-Wings in the International Hockey League notching 50 goals and 40 assists for 65 points across 59 games. His efforts earned him the team’s MVP award and a call-up to the NHL. Langenbrunner continued to show his skill, becoming a regular with Dallas. During his first-year efforts, Langenbrunner was named a candidate for the Calder Memorial Trophy as one of the Top Rookies that season.
Langenbrunner was a pillar in the hockey community playing parts of 18 seasons in the NHL with the Dallas Stars, New Jersey Devils, and the St. Louis Blues. He also has won two Stanley Cups throughout his career, one with Dallas in 1999 and one with New Jersey in 2003. Langenbrunner was also a part of many National Teams representing the United States in high-level tournaments like the World Cup of Hockey and, most notably, winning a Silver Medal in the 2010 Olympic Games.
Although he announced his retirement from professional hockey in January 2014, he wouldn’t be away from the sport for long. In September 2015, Langenbrunner would join the Boston Bruins as the Player Development Coach. After serving as the Development Coach for four years and being promoted to the Director of Player Development for three more, Langenbrunner was then promoted to Assistant General Manager in 2022.
Now, 21 years after first arriving in Peterborough, he returns to the Electric City to be recognized by the team that he played for as a young kid from Minnesota in the early 1990’s. On Thursday, October 24, Langenbrunner joins Petes legends Bob Gainey, Chris Pronger, Dick Todd, Larry Murphy, Mickey Redmond, Roger Neilson, Scotty Bowman, Steve Yzerman, and Colin Campbell as the 10th alumnus to have his banner hang in the PMC. Another accolade on a fantastic career full of accomplishments for a boy from Cloquet.