While the trade deadline has come and gone, teams can still engage in transactions, which includes dealing with former top prospects like Nathan Legare of the Pittsburgh Penguins. Legare was once anticipated to become a prolific goal scorer for the Penguins, but his tenure with the organization didn’t unfold as expected.
As part of a three-way deal that brought Erik Karlsson to Pittsburgh, the Penguins traded Legare to the Montreal Canadiens organization. However, just a few days after the trade deadline, the Canadiens decided to part ways with Legare.
The Laval Rocket, the American Hockey League affiliate of the Montreal Canadiens, has traded Nathan Legare to the New Jersey Devils organization. In return, they acquired Arnaud Durandeau. The Devils have announced that Legare will join their AHL affiliate, the Utica Comets.
Selected in the third round of the 2019 NHL Draft, Nathan Legare entered the professional hockey scene with high expectations due to his scoring potential. However, his performance has not lived up to those early hopes. Over 125 games with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, Legare managed to net only 15 goals, signaling a significant decline in his scoring output.
In the current season with the Rocket, spanning 39 games, Legare has contributed six goals and three assists, amounting to nine points in total. With this performance, his prospects of making it to the NHL appear to be dimming, yet unforeseen opportunities can always arise.
It’s improbable that Legare will have a chance to play in the NHL this season, given the postseason ineligibility for players traded after the deadline. Moreover, the Devils are actively pursuing a playoff berth, further reducing the likelihood of his immediate NHL involvement.
