The "Secretary of Defense" played 11 seasons for Washington.
This article originally appeared in The Hockey News' March 1993, Vol. 46, Issue 27.
BY DAVE SELL
Rod Langway is through. For now. Unofficially.
The Washington Capitals’ defenseman, in his 11th season with the team, announced March 12 he is leaving the team for the season because he is unhappy with his reduced role.
Langway, 35, had grown disenchanted with his part-time playing and unofficial assistant coaching role. He insisted he is not retiring, but it’s a safe bet Langway has played his last game as a Capital.
“I have too much pride to do what I was doing,” Langway said.
Lang way played only 21 games this season-two in the last 17-and the inactivity was gnawing at him.
“This does not mark the end of the road, nor the sunset of my career,” he said. “I would have liked to end it with a Stanley Cup and been a vital person in the organization. But it’s not going to happen. I just couldn’t handle it the way it was going.”
The Capitals will decide this summer if they want him next season. No one in management gave any reason to think he’d play more frequently.
Langway will be a free agent, so he can shop his services to another team, though that market is uncertain, even with two expansion teams. If he gets no takers, retirement would be the only choice.
“If it came down to that situation, I will have to accept that,” he said.
Langway was six games shy of 1,000 games-a milestone reached by only 84 players. General manager David Poile said he struggled to deal with Langway’s frustration and the team’s need to use its 20 best players.
Poile said the idea of Langway accepting the part-time role in order to get the 1,000-game milestone was a “pacifier,” but Poile came to realize that the mark was insignificant to Langway. The team was hoping to use it as a way to honor Langway. It might have presented a chance for a sellout crowd to give No. 5 one last standing ovation.
“I hope the best for Rod,” teammate Kelly Miller said. “He has put in a lot of great years. He might have some great years left, I don’t know, but I hope for the best for him.”
Langway, who will be paid the rest of this season, signed two deals in the fall of 1991. The first was a two-year playing contract and the second was a four-year non-playing contract. The average salary over all six years was about $275,000. The playing contract expires June 30.
If he returns to play with Washington, there would need to be a new playing contract. The non-playing contract would begin whenever Langway is done playing.
The Hockey News ArchivesRod Langway’s playing career with Washington is likely over.
SAVAGE RESPONSE: Right winger Reggie Savage decided March 11 not to accede to the wishes of the club and accept a two-week conditioning assignment with the Baltimore Skipjacks of the American League.
“I’m here now,” Savage said. “They said I would be with the team for the rest of the season.”
Savage was recalled from Baltimore for a fourth time Feb. 7 and played three straight games. Since then, he played in just three of 10. He had no points in those six games.
Savage, the team’s top pick in 1988, has had four stints with the Capitals this season. He is in the option year of his contract and because he was with the team more than 30 days, he would have to clear waivers to be assigned to Baltimore.
NOTEBOOK: The storm that blanketed the eastern U.S. March 12 caused two games to be postponed. The Capitals’ March 13 home game against the New York Rangers and their March 14 road game against the New York Islanders were postponed.
With Rod Langway leaving the team and Jason Woolley assigned to Baltimore, Shawn Anderson was the sixth defenseman.
WASHINGTON
TRANSACTIONS
March 10: Jason Woolley, D, assigned to Baltimore (AHL). March 12: Rod Langway. D, left team for rest of season.
ROSTER
C-Michal Pivonka. Mike Ridley, Dale Hunter. Steve Konowalchuk.
LW-Keith Jones. Kelly Milter. Dimitri Khristich, Todd Krygier, Bob Carpenter.
RW-Peter Bondra, Pat Elynuik, Paul MacOermid. Alan May, Reggie Savage
LD~Calle Johansson. Al lalrate, Shawn Anderson.
RD-Kevin Hatcher. Sylvain Cote. Paul CavalHni.
G-Don Beaupre, Jim Hrivnak.
INJURIES
Randy Burridge, LW. right knee surgery, indefinite. ■