Dallas Stars

Langenbrunner made his NHL debut on April 9, 1995, skating with Dallas in a game against the St. Louis Blues,^[1] but he did not become an NHL regular until the 1996–97 season, when he played 76 games and scored 39 points playing on the left wing. For his strong first-year efforts, he was named a candidate for the Calder Memorial Trophy, given annually to the NHL's Rookie of the Year. Langenbrunner, however, was ultimately edged-out by Bryan Berard of the New York Islanders for the honor.

During the 1997–98 season, Langenbrunner reached the 20-goal plateau, scoring 23 goals and 29 assists for 52 points while playing in 81 games. That year, Langenbrunner also represented his country at the 1998 Winter Olympics, though the Americans fell short of winning a medal.

In the 1998–99 season, Langenbrunner played in 75 games, scoring 12 goals and adding 33 assists for 45 total points. However, his real breakthrough came in the 1999 Stanley Cup playoffs, where he scored 10 goals and had 17 points, while winning his and Dallas' first Stanley Cup over the Buffalo Sabres. He was third in scoring for the Stars, behind Mike Modano and that year's Conn Smythe Trophy winner, Joe Nieuwendyk.

New Jersey Devils

Langenbrunner signing jerseys for fans at the Continental Airlines Arena, circa 2006–07

On March 19, 2002, Langenbrunner was traded with Nieuwendyk to the New Jersey Devils for Jason Arnott, Randy McKay and a first-round draft pick. The next season, in 2002–03, Langenbrunner had a then career-best 22 goals and 33 assists for 55 points in 78 games for the Devils. He continued his scoring numbers in the playoffs, leading the league in goals (11) and points (18) en route to his second Stanley Cup in a 4–3 series victory versus the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim.

Langenbrunner's name close-up on the Stanley Cup

After both an injury-plagued season in 2003–04 in which Langenbrunner played only 53 games and the NHL's lockout season in 2004–05, Langenbrunner bounced back strongly in 2005–06, scoring 53 points in 80 games. He again had a strong playoff performance, scoring 13 points in nine games before the Devils lost to the eventual Stanley Cup champions, the Carolina Hurricanes, in the conference semifinals.

On July 1, 2006, signed a five-year, $14 million contract extension with the Devils worth an annual average of $2.8 million.^[2] During the 2006–07 season, Langenbrunner scored a career-best 60 points, where he also played in all 82 games that season, scoring 23 goals and adding 37 assists (both career bests). In the 2007 playoffs, Langenbrunner again played well, scoring eight points in 11 games before losing to the Stanley Cup Finals-bound Ottawa Senators.

On December 5, 2007, Langenbrunner was named captain of the New Jersey Devils. That year, however, Langenbrunner missed nearly 20 games to a groin injury and his stats dipped as he scored 41 points in 64 games. In the 2008 playoffs, the Devils lost in the conference quarterfinals to the New York Rangers 4–1, though Langenbrunner played well, scoring four points in the short series.

Beginning in the 2007–08 season, Langenbrunner played on a line with teammates Zach Parise and Travis Zajac. The line was dubbed "ZZ Pops" due to the difference in age between the veteran and the two youngsters who have initials with the letter "Z."

In January 2009, Langenbrunner scored two goals in each of three consecutive games, including three game winners for the Devils. Two of those game-winning goals were scored in overtime. His streak of three consecutive multi-goal games with a game-winning goal was last accomplished by Wayne Gretzky during the 1981–82 season.^[3] Langenbrunner played extremely well in the second half of the season and went on to set career highs in goals (29), assists (40), points (69) and plus-minus rating (+25). Langenbrunner, along with fellow linemates Parise and Zajac, all had remarkable seasons, as the line combined for 94 goals and 131 assists for a total of 225 points as well as having a combined plus-minus of +88.

On January 2, 2010, Langenbrunner scored the first hat-trick of his career while playing against the Minnesota Wild in his home state of Minnesota as the Devils defeated the Wild 5–3.^[3][4]

Return to Dallas

On January 7, 2011, Langenbrunner was traded to the Dallas Stars for a conditional third-round pick in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft. The pick would become a second-round pick if the Stars either win a playoff round or re-sign Langenbrunner before the draft.^[5] He would score his first goal in his return to Dallas in his 1,000th career game, which was against the Los Angeles Kings on January 17, 2011, as the Stars defeated the Kings 2–1.^[6]

St. Louis Blues

Langenbrunner signed a one-year contract as a free agent with the St. Louis Blues on July 6, 2011.^[7] In his first season with the Blues, in 2011–12, Langenbrunner added depth to the team and was used primarily as a checking line forward, scoring six goals and 24 points in 70 games. He was re-signed to a one-year extension with St. Louis on July 10, 2012.^[8]

In the lockout-shortened 2012–13 season, Langenbrunner participated in only four games with the Blues, posting one assist before an ongoing torn labrum in his left hip required season-ending surgery on February 9, 2013.^[9]

Retirement

On January 15, 2014, Langenbrunner announced his retirement after 16 seasons in the NHL.^[10] He joined the Boston Bruins on September 12, 2015, as the team's player development coach.^[11]