Bruins hire Langenbrunner as development coach

BOSTON, MA - Boston Bruins General Manager Don Sweeney announced that Jay Pandolfo has transitioned to Director of Player Development and Jeremy Rogalski has transitioned to Hockey Operations Assistant.

Sweeney also announced that the club has hired Jamie Langenbrunner as a Development Coach, Dennis Bonvie as a Professional Scout, Alain Bissonnette as an Amateur Scout, Erkki Rajamaki as an Amateur Scout, Andrew Shaw as an Amateur Scout, Bob Wetick as an Amateur Scout, J.P. Buckley as Video Coordinator and Julie Nicoletti as a Sports Nutritionist.

As Director of Player Development, Pandolfo will be responsible for overseeing and aiding in the development of players and prospects throughout Boston’s system. Pandolfo had previously served as Development Coach for the Bruins, primarily working with Boston’s prospects in Providence.

Pandolfo appeared in 899 NHL games throughout his career, notching 100 goals and 126 assists for 226 points. The forward also brings 131 games of postseason experience to Boston, where he racked up 11 goals and 22 assists, winning two Stanley Cups with the New Jersey Devils in 2000 and 2003. The Burlington, MA native played his final NHL season with the Boston Bruins in the 2012-13 season, where the winger skated in 18 games.

Prior to being drafted by the New Jersey Devils in the 1993 NHL Entry Draft (second round, 32nd overall), Pandolfo skated four seasons at Boston University (1992-96) where he picked up a career 169 points (ranks 11th most in school history) and 79 goals (tied for ninth in school history). Under Head Coach Jack Parker and Assistant Coaches Bill Berglund, Mike Eruzione and Blaise MacDonald, Pandolfo and his BU teammates won the NCAA National Championship in 1995. The left wing was named Terrier Captain in 1996 – the same season he finished as the runner-up for the Hobey Baker Award.

Pandolfo announced his retirement from his 15-season NHL career in January of 2014.

Rogalski has been with Boston since the 2009-10 season where he originally served as the Assistant to Hockey Administration, before he was transitioned to Video Analyst, a position he held for four seasons. The Springfield, MA native graduated from Bates University in 2009 where he earned his degree in Economics. Rogalski had previously held internships with the New England Patriots in their Marketing and Football Operations Department.

Langenbrunner will aid in player development of both players and prospects throughout Boston’s system. The Cloquet, MN native finished his 20-year professional playing career in 2012-13 being drafted by the Dallas Stars in the second round (35th overall) of the 1993 NHL Entry Draft.  After splitting time in his first two pro seasons with Dallas and their IHL affiliate in Kalamazoo/Michigan, Langenbrunner broke into a full-time NHL role with the Stars for the 1996-1997 campaign.  His career saw him play for three different NHL teams - Dallas Stars, New Jersey Devils and St. Louis Blues - where he racked up 243 goals and 420 assists for 663 points in 1,109 games.  He added 34–53=87 totals in 146 postseason NHL matchups.

Langenbrunner is a two-time Stanley Cup champion, winning in 1999 with the Dallas Stars and in 2003 with the New Jersey Devils alongside teammate Jay Pandolfo. Following a hip injury that caused him to miss the majority of the 2012-13 season with St. Louis, Langenbrunner announced his retirement as a player in January of 2014.

Bonvie joins the Bruins organization from the Chicago Blackhawks where he had served as a pro scout for the last six seasons.  Undrafted, Bonvie played for 15 professional seasons from 1993 to 2008, including 92 games at the NHL level between his time with the Edmonton Oilers, Chicago Blackhawks, Pittsburgh Penguins, Boston Bruins and Ottawa Senators. His 1-2=3 NHL totals all came while wearing the Spoked-B during the 2001-02 season. The former winger also racked up 311 career penalty minutes at the NHL level. At the American Hockey League level, Bonvie appeared in 871 games, accruing 83-192=275 totals, while amassing 4,493 penalty minutes.  Bonvie will be based out of Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, Pennsylvania.

Bissonnette has evaluated players for the last 18 years in the QMJHL starting in 1996 with Baie-Comeau. After two years with Baie-Comeau, he became the first full time scout in the league, serving with Acadie-Bathurst for four years and Shawinigan for the past 12 years, winning a Memorial Cup Championship in 2012.

Rajamaki joins the club from the Pittsburgh Penguins where he served as a European scout.  The former forward was drafted by the Tampa Bay Lightning in the eighth round (216 overall) of the 1999 NHL Entry Draft. Rajamaki played one season of collegiate hockey at Colgate University in 1999 before he returned to Europe where he spent four seasons with HIFK Helsinki, HPK Hameenlinna and Ilves Tampere in Finland.  He then came back to North America where he played parts of two seasons in the AHL and ECHL, which includes the 2004-05 season with the Worcester IceCats (5-4=9 in 60 games played).  Rajamaki then returned to Finland and played his final six-plus pro seasons with Espoo, HIFK Helsinki and IIves Tampere, concluding his playing career in 2012-13.  In total, the Vantaa, Finland native competed in 475 games in the Finnish SM-Liiga, posting 82 goals and 49 assists. Rajamaki earned his Bachelor’s degree in Economics from Tampere University.  While with the Bruins, Rajamaki will be based out of Finland and will scout amateur prospects in Europe.

Shaw joins Boston with over 20 years of scouting experience at both the OHL and NHL levels, having served as a regional scout for Owen Sound (1994-96) and Brampton (1997-2003) before becoming Director of Player Personnel for the Sarnia Sting from 2004-08. While working for Sarnia, he also served as as a regional amateur scout for the Columbus Blue Jackets from 2000-12.  Shaw has also served as head scout for the OHL’s Sudbury Wolves since August of 2012. Shaw will be based out of Sarnia, Ontario and will serve as a regional amateur scout covering the Ontario Hockey League.

Wetick graduated from Michigan State University and began his scouting career in Toronto for his alma mater’s hockey program. In 1993 he moved to the Ontario Hockey League’s Central Scouting Department, serving for two years before joining the Kitchener Rangers in 1995, where he served in a scouting capacity for three seasons.  Wetick has also served as North Bay Battalions Director of Scouting for the last 17 years since that team’s inception for the 1998-99 season.  Wetick will be based out of Toronto, ON and will serve as a regional amateur scout covering the Ontario Hockey League.

Buckley previously served as the Video Coordinator for Boston University from 2009 to 2013, where he worked with head hockey coaches Jack Parker for four years and David Quinn for one.  Buckley spent last season with the Nashville Predators where he served as Amateur Scouting Video Coordinator.  The Malden, MA native graduated from Boston University in 2013 where he earned his degree in Communications and is currently working toward’s his Master’s in Administrative Studies. 

Nicoletti, founder of Kinetic Fuel®, is a nationally recognized Certified Sports Nutritionist and Registered Pharmacist (B.S.,R.Ph.) who specializes in coaching athletes to achieve their highest potential both on and off the ice.  She provides one-on-one, personalized nutritional education and counseling to athletes, enabling them to optimize peak athletic performance while minimizing the risk of injury.  Nicoletti will serve as a consultant to the organization throughout the 2015-16 season.