20 In 20: Jamie Langenbrunner & Roman Polak

Here is my 20 in 20 segment where I will be reviewing 20 players in 20 days for the St. Louis Blues.  Today is Jamie Langenbrunner and Roman Polak.

Jamie Langenbrunner – Out of his 15 seasons in the NHL, Langenbrunner had less than 30 points in a season just 3 times.  Keep in mind the seasons that he didn’t get 30+ points were the seasons he played 70 games or less.  At 37, Langenbrunner does exactly what the Blues want him to do: provide depth and leadership to a young team.

Langenbrunner was once the captain of the New Jersey Devils and had many great years with them. He joined the Blues via free agency during the summer of 2011 and had 24 points in 70 games last season while spending most of the time on the 3rd line and mostly at even strength.  Although his numbers have dropped a little from his previous seasons, Langenbrunner still has a pivotal role on the Blues team, which is to provide leadership to the younger players.

Langenbrunner was given the “A” for assistant captain during his first season with the Blues which automatically tells you what kind of player he is.  While Langenbrunner’s numbers have dropped from his younger days, he is still capable of hitting 30+ points when healthy.

Roman Polak – At 26, Polak is considered one of the veteran defenseman on the Blues.  While he isn’t on defense to counter a power play, he is not afraid to drop the gloves and fight for his teammates.  Polak provides steady depth on the blue line and has a steady workload averaging 18:52 of ice time per game.

With the defense looking a little thinner than last season without Carlo Colaiacovo and Kent Huskins, Polak will see consistent time on the top 4 if the Blues do not pick up another defenseman.  Polak may be used on the 2nd defensive pairing with Kevin Shattenkirk which could really help Polak’s offensive game.  He would also had the toughness that Shattenkirk may lack which could be a good fit.  Expect to see Polak step up if the Blues can not find another defenseman to take a roster spot.

Follow me on twitter @TonyMoreno20 for updates and discussions.