Playing career

Junior

Langkow was selected by the Tri-City Americans in the second round of the 1991 Western Hockey League (WHL) Bantam Draft. He completed the 1991-92 season with the Edmonton Pats of the Alberta Midget Hockey League, scoring 81 points in 35 games while appearing in one game with the Americans as a 15-year-old. He joined Tri-City full-time in 1992-93, scoring 22 goals and 64 points in 64 games and improved to 40 goals and 83 points in 1993-94. Langkow averaged nearly two points per game in 1994-95, scoring 140 points in 72 games. He was named the recipient of the Bob Clarke Trophy as the top scorer in the WHL, and was named to the WHL West and Canadian Hockey League First All-Star Teams. He finished as the runner-up to Marty Murray for the Four Broncos Memorial Trophy as the WHL's most valuable player.

The Tampa Bay Lightning selected Langkow fifth overall in the 1995 NHL Entry Draft. On the eve of the 1995-96 season, the Lightning signed him to a three-year, $2.4 million contract. He made his National Hockey League (NHL) debut on October 7, 1995 against the Calgary Flames. Langkow appeared in four games with the Lightning before he was returned to Tri-City. He scored 91 points in 48 games with the Americans and was named to the WHL's West Second All-Star Team. As of 2012, he remains the Americans' franchise record holder for most career goals with 159. Langkow represented Canada at the 1996 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships where he won a gold medal.

Tampa, Philadelphia and Phoenix

Langkow rejoined the Lightning for the 1996-97 NHL season and scored 15 goals and 28 points in his rookie season. He scored his first NHL goal on November 19, 1996 against the Los Angeles Kings, and was named the NHL's rookie of the month for February 1997. He fell to 22 points in 1997-98 and ended the season in a dispute with the Lightning when he refused a demotion to the Adirondack Red Wings of the American Hockey League. The Lightning suspended him indefinitely, but told the media they were not interested in trading him. He missed seven games and lost $63,000 in salary before the Lightning relented and recalled him to finish the season in Tampa. Langkow was assigned to the Cleveland Lumberjacks of the International Hockey League to begin the 1998-99 season amidst trade rumours but was recalled after four games. He was traded to the Philadelphia Flyers along with Mikael Renberg on December 12, 1998 in exchange for Chris Gratton and Mike Sillinger.

While he was considered a throw-in for the Flyers who made the trade to re-acquire Renberg, Langkow flourished in Philadelphia. He finished the season with 14 goals combined between Tampa and Philadelphia, and his development as a playmaking centre earned him the Pelle Lindbergh Memorial from his teammates as the Flyers' most improved player. They re-signed Langkow to a two-year contract extension following the season. He set new personal highs in goals and assists in 1999-2000, finishing with 50 points and helping the Flyers reach the Eastern Conference Final in the 2000 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Despite missing 11-games with two broken feet, Langkow improved to 54 points in the 2000-01 season.

The acquisition of Jeremy Roenick and Jiri Dopita by the Flyers in the summer of 2001 left Langkow, a restricted free agent, as the odd man out in Philadelphia. He was dealt to the Phoenix Coyotes in exchange for a second round draft pick in the 2002 NHL Entry Draft (Dan Sprang) and a first round pick in 2003 (Jeff Carter). Unable to agree on a contract, Langkow and the Coyotes went to arbitration where he was awarded a two-year contract worth $4.2 million. He made an immediate impact with Phoenix, scoring his first career hat trick in a 5-2 victory over the Washington Capitals in the Coyotes' home opener. He finished the 2001-02 season as the team leader with 62 points. He fell back to 52 points in 2002-03, but scored his 100th career goal in his 500th career game on December 30, 2002, a 4-3 overtime victory against the Edmonton Oilers. He finished second in team scoring with 52 points, and served as an alternate captain for the Coyotes during the 2003-04 season.

Calgary

The Coyotes signed Langkow to a one-year, $2.95 million contract in August 2004, but dealt him to the Calgary Flames less than two weeks later for Oleg Saprykin and Denis Gauthier. The season, and the contract, were wiped out by the 2004-05 NHL lockout; Langkow did not play anywhere during the lost season. The Flames signed Langkow to a new contract prior to the 2005-06 season amidst high expectations as he was placed on the top line with Jarome Iginla. He finished the season second on the Flames in both goals (25) and points (59) and recorded his sixth consecutive season with 50+ points.

Langkow emerged as a top scorer for the Flames in 2006-07, becoming the team's offensive leader while Iginla was sidelined for several weeks by a mid-season knee injury. He reached the 30-goal mark (33) for the first time in his career, finished with a career high 77 points and was the Flames nominee for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy for dedication and sportsmanship. His teammates and coaches also praised his defensive ability, suggesting that he deserved a nomination for the Frank J. Selke Trophy as the NHL's top defensive forward. Langkow remained a top two-way forward for the Flames in 2007-08, recording his second consecutive 30-goal season and finishing third on the team with 65 points. The Flames re-signed him to a four-year, $18-million contract extension though the 2011-12 NHL season.

Langkow scored only 49 points in 2008-09 and missed ten games as result of a hand injury. It was the first time in nine seasons that he failed to reach the 50-point mark. He suffered another hand injury in the 2009 Stanley Cup Playoffs, though he still played all six games against the Chicago Blackhawks. He played his 1,000th game, against the Lightning, on February 6, 2010, one night after teammate Jarome Iginla reached the same mark. His offensive numbers continued to decline, as he finished the year with 14 goals and 37 points, his lowest totals in a decade.

He missed the final ten games of the season after he was struck in the back of the neck by a slapshot during a game in Minnesota. The injury resulted in spinal cord damage that kept Langkow out of the lineup for the first 78 games of the 2010-11 NHL season. His efforts to return to the Flames lineup suffered a setback in late October, after which a Flames official stated it was a "50/50 proposition" on whether he would ever play another NHL game.

Following several months of rehabilitation, Langkow was cleared for light skating by a neck specialist, allowing him to begin practicing with his Flames teammates at the end of February 2011, though he was still considered 2-3 months away from being able to continue his career. He joined the Flames for full practices a couple weeks later, and by mid March - nearly one year to the day of his injury - Langkow expressed hope that he would be able to return to action prior to the end of the season. That hope became reality late in the year as he was activated off injured reserve by the Flames, who announced he would return to the lineup for an April 1 game against the St. Louis Blues, 376 days and 88 games after he suffered the injury.

For his efforts at coming back from injury, Langkow was a finalist for the 2011 Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy that was ultimately won by Ian Laperriere.

Phoenix

The Phoenix Coyotes re-acquired Langkow on August 29, 2011, in exchange for forward Lee Stempniak During the 2011-12 season, Langkow missed seven games in November after his mother died suddenly at the age of 54. On July July 7, 2013, Langkow announced his retirement.

Personal

Langkow is the second child of Randy and Vivian Langkow and grew up in Vegreville, Alberta. His parents divorced when he was ten years old. His father is a plumber in Edmonton, while his mother managed a restaurant in British Columbia prior to her November 2011 death.

Langkow and his wife Stephanie have four children, and expressed a desire to put down roots in the city of Calgary as a reason for his decision to sign a long-term contract extension with the Flames in 2008 rather than test free agency.

Langkow's older brother, Scott was a goaltender who played 20 NHL games for the Winnipeg Jets, Phoenix Coyotes and Atlanta Thrashers.

He also has a younger cousin, Chris Langkow, who is a former ECHL All-Star and a Kelly Cup champion with the Alaska Aces, whom he frequently mentors and often gives advice.

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

				Regular season						Playoffs
Season	Team	League		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1991-92	Tri-City Americans	WHL		1	0	0	0	0		—	—	—	—	—
1992-93	Tri-City Americans	WHL		65	22	42	64	96		4	1	0	1	4
1993-94	Tri-City Americans	WHL		61	40	43	83	174		4	2	2	4	15
1994-95	Tri-City Americans	WHL		72	67	73	140	142		17	12	15	27	52
1995-96	Tampa Bay Lightning	NHL		4	0	1	1	0		—	—	—	—	—
1995-96	Tri-City Americans	WHL		48	30	61	91	103		11	14	13	27	20
1996-97	Adirondack Red Wings	AHL		2	1	1	2	0		—	—	—	—	—
1996-97	Tampa Bay Lightning	NHL		79	15	13	28	35		—	—	—	—	—
1997-98	Tampa Bay Lightning	NHL		68	8	14	22	62		—	—	—	—	—
1998-99	Cleveland Lumberjacks	IHL		4	1	1	2	18		—	—	—	—	—
1998-99	Tampa Bay Lightning	NHL		22	4	6	10	15		—	—	—	—	—
1998-99	Philadelphia Flyers	NHL		56	10	13	23	24		6	0	2	2	2
1999-00	Philadelphia Flyers	NHL		82	18	32	50	56		16	5	5	10	23
2000-01	Philadelphia Flyers	NHL		71	13	41	54	50		6	2	4	6	2
2001-02	Phoenix Coyotes	NHL		80	27	35	62	36		5	1	0	1	0
2002-03	Phoenix Coyotes	NHL		82	20	32	52	56		—	—	—	—	—
2003-04	Phoenix Coyotes	NHL		81	21	31	52	40		—	—	—	—	—
2005-06	Calgary Flames	NHL		82	25	34	59	46		7	1	5	6	6
2006-07	Calgary Flames	NHL		81	33	44	77	44		6	2	2	4	4
2007-08	Calgary Flames	NHL		80	30	35	65	19		7	3	2	5	0
2008-09	Calgary Flames	NHL		73	21	28	49	20		6	0	3	3	2
2009-10	Calgary Flames	NHL		72	14	23	37	30		—	—	—	—	—
2010-11	Calgary Flames	NHL		4	0	1	1	0		—	—	—	—	—
2011-12	Phoenix Coyotes	NHL		73	11	19	30	14		16	1	6	7	4
NHL totals				1090	270	402	672	547		75	15	29	44	43

International

Year	Team	Event	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM	Team result
1996	Canada	WJC	5	3	3	6	2	Gold medal
International totals			5	3	3	5	2

Awards and honours

Medal record
Representing Canada
Men's ice hockey
World Junior Championship
	1996 Canada

Award	Year
Junior
Bob Clarke Trophy	1994-95
WHL Western Conference First All-Star Team	1994-95
CHL First Team All-Star	1994-95
WHL Western Conference Second All-Star Team	1995-96
Team awards
Pelle Lindbergh Memorial (Philadelphia)	1998-99
J. R. "Bud" McCaig Award (Calgary)	2009-10

[ Source: Wikipedia ]