Eastern Conference Eye Candy (Olympics Edition): Jamie Langenbrunner (NJ Devils / Team USA)

This guy has been on fire during the Olympics for Team USA, so I figured that I better get on the ball and "officially" make him "eye candy" because this hunky, seasoned veteran deserves the title (he's a two-time Stanley Cup winner and has made two appearances for Team USA at the winter Olympics), but don't let me decide whether he deserves this week's "Eye Candy" status ... see for yourself!!

HOCKEY FACTOR:
Jamie was drafted (out of high school) by the Dallas Stars in the 2nd round of the 1993 NHL Entry Draft (35th overall).

He began playing hockey for the Cloquet High School Lumberjacks in Minnesota and was named the state's "High School Player of the Year" in 1992-1993, but decided to skip his senior year to play in the OHL for the Peterborough Petes. He was named the team's Rookie of the Year. He made his NHL debut for the Stars during his second year for the Petes (1994-1995) and then moved on to play for the Michigan K-Wings of the IHL the next season (1995-1996) and earned the team's title of MVP and Rookie of the Year.

The 1996-1997 season was his rookie year with the Dallas Stars and he played with them for five seasons helping them win the Stanley Cup in 1998-1999, but was traded to his current team, the NJ Devils, on March 19, 2002 who he helped win the Stanley Cup the following season (2002-2003). He resigned with the Devils in July 2006 with a 5-year / $14 million contract and was named the team's captain in 2007. He plays on the "ZZ Pops" line named so because he shares it with Zach Parise and Travis Zajac who are 9-10 years his junior (the 'Pops'). But the two young players have nothing but respect for Langenbrunner ... Parise calling him a "calming influence" and saying, "He's the type of guy that when something needs to be said, it's said."

He was not only named to this year's winter Olympic hockey team, but was named the team's captain.

HOTNESS FACTOR:
Langenbrunner is married to his high school sweetheart, Elizabeth, with whom he has three children -- a daughter (Laine) and two sons (Landon and Mason). The couple's first child was actually due during Jamie's first appearance at the 1998 Olympics in Nagano (he was a replacement for Shawn McEachern who was injured); both he and his wife felt that " ... it was something we can't pass up" (READ MORE HERE).

The family resides in New Jersey during hockey season, but make their home in Cloquet, Minnesota along with the rest of their family and friends.

FUN FACTS

• when the Devils played on the road against the Minnesota Wild during the 2007-08 season, Jamie had close to 100 family and friends in attendance (he's definitely a well-liked guy!)!
• was also a pretty good baseball player; was selected for All-Conference selection while on his high school's baseball team
• hobbies: golf, tennis, baseball

FAVORITES:
Book: The DaVinci Code
Movie: The Usual Suspects
TV Show: Seinfeld

(Langenbrunner at center)