Dave Langevin was a hard hitting and calculating defenseman best known for being a member of all four New York Islanders Stanley Cup teams. Although often obscured by some of his more famous teammates, Langevin earned the respect of many Isles fans during the early 80s.Like Neal Broten, Langevin is a purebred Minnesota hockey player. He was born May 15, 1954, in St. Paul and was a high school leading Hill-Murray High School to independent state championships in 1970 and 1972. Though he turned into a great professional under the guidance of legendary tactician Al Arbour, Langevin actually credits high school coach Andre Beaulieu as his most influential hockey coach.
"He brought me to a different level through hard work, teamwork and accountability as a player, which is the foundation of playing well," Langevin said.
Like any good Minnesotan boy, the high school phenom went on to play four years of college hockey with Minnesota-Duluth where he had a career that would land him in the school's athletic hall of fame.
Following graduation Dave joined Team USA for the 1976 World Championships before making his pro hockey debut . Dave actually joined the WHA Edmonton Oilers rather than join the New York Islanders, the team that made him the 112th overall draft selection back in 1974. When the WHA collapsed in 1979, Langevin did not jump to the NHL with the Oilers, but rather signed with the Islanders just in time to contribute nicely to a Stanley Cup dynasty.
Langevin was never a scoring threat, as he notched a grand total of 12 goals in 512 NHL games, but he often confounded opposing forwards when they ventured into his end. Arguably the purest defensive defenseman of the Islanders dynasty, "Bammer's" number 26 was worn by many fans who appreciated his uncelebrated work on one of hockey’s most talented teams ever.
Dave played for his hometown Minnesota North Stars in 1985-86 and ended his playing career with the Los Angeles Kings the next season. After his retirement, he coached youth hockey in Minnesota before being tapped as the first coach of the expansion WCHL Idaho Steelheads in 1997. Langevin led the Steelheads to a respectable record and a playoff appearance in their inaugural season, but retired to return to Minnesota not long after Idaho was eliminated from the postseason. Langevin became a real estate appraiser, and most recently has returned to coaching youth hockey. He is the coach of the Sibley High girls' hockey team where his daughter Anna, originally a figure skater, plays hockey.
"This has been one of the most satisfying jobs I've had in hockey. I'm having so much fun," Langevin told the Twin Cities Pioneer Press. "The response I'm getting from the girls, to see them learn and grow, I really appreciate spending time with them."
1 comment:
Langevin was a key defenseman for the Isles glory years. But one of his greatest unsung moments came in 1985 when the Islanders became the first team to lose the first two games in a best of five playoff series and come back to win. This was against the Caps and Langevin had been benched for both losses. But he was back in the lineup for pivotal game three. In the first two games, speedy Mike Gartner had skated rings around the Isles. But in that game three, at one magnificent moment, Gartner was racing toward the Islander zone and SLAM! He hit a brick wall named Dave Langevin! DOWN Gartner crumpled and the whole Islander bench was up and excited. It was a fantastic instant that showed how with one clean, brave, strong defensive physical play, Langevin was the type of defenseman who could turn a game around. Great memory!
Post a Comment