Former Penguins Prospect Heats Up

With the NHL regular season winding down and the Penguins’ flickering playoff hopes (an eight-point deficit with 12 games to play) all but extinguished, I confess I don’t have much to write about.

However, Other Rick recently brought a feel-good story involving a former Pens prospect to my attention, so I thought I’d shine a spotlight.

First, a little back story.

When then-Pens-GM Jim Rutherford traded up to snag peppery right wing Nathan Légaré 74^th overall in the 2019 draft, I was both intrigued and thrilled. Not only did the kid display a huge scoring touch in junior, he flashed his hair-trigger release and bomb of a shot early in his black-and-gold career by famously scoring a pair of goals within 23 seconds during an exhibition game against the CBJ.

Not only could the 6’0” 205-pound power forward score, he played with a pronounced physical edge. In short, he was precisely the type of player we’ve for the most part lacked.

I couldn’t wait for Légaré to turn pro.

Frankly, I was stunned by his lack of production during his first season with the Baby Pens (a paltry seven goals in 57 games.) After all, during his final season of junior Nathan struck for 14 goals in 15 playoff games!

Following the season, Légaré confessed he wasn’t prepared for the rigors of the pro game and vowed to be ready for his second season (2022-23). However, in a virtual replay of his rookie campaign, he managed just eight goals in 68 games.

During the summer, Kyle Dubas dealt Nathan to his hometown Canadiens in the Erik Karlsson blockbuster. Given a fresh start, I felt sure he’d develop with Montréal.

I was wrong. After only 39 games (and six goals) with the AHL Laval Rocket, the Habs gave up on Légaré, too, trading him to the Devils.

I figured that was it as far as his NHL aspirations were concerned.

Again, I was wrong. Although his production didn’t improve, Légaré’s feisty, abrasive style earned him a promotion to the Devils in December. The cameo was brief…three games…but the kid made an obvious impression on coach Sheldon Keefe.

“Légaré, for me in particular, played extremely hard, physical, hard on the puck, and advanced the puck,” Keefe noted. “He played like a guy that wants to be in the NHL and knows who he is. And I thought he was really good for us.”

Since being returned to the Devils’ top farm team in Utica, there’s been a new twist in the Légaré saga. Elevated at long-last to a top-six role, he’s popped for seven goals and 10 points in his last 14 games, including a two-goal, four-point outburst against Syracuse on March 7.

In closing, perhaps Nathan will never be more than a fringe NHLer. However, with his big shot and even bigger heart, I wouldn’t bet against him.

I sense, given the right opportunity, there’s an inspirational, blue-collar, Max Talbot-type player lurking inside him. (FYI: Nathan’s dad was a plumber, Max’s a construction worker.)

Desire can’t be measured by metrics or calculated on a computer. It’s something innate.

Légaré has it.

I, for one, would 100 times over rather have a kid of Nathan’s ilk skating on our fourth line, dishing out hits, stirring the pot, goading foes into retaliatory penalties and scoring the occasional goal, than the plain vanilla (and Sully safe) veterans we always seem to employ.