Nathan Légaré’s father was at work when he received word that his son would make his NHL debut with the New Jersey Devils Monday night.
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“I called my dad this morning,” Légaré recalled with a smile after his morning skate. “He was working and told me that he told his boss that he might skip the day today, so it was pretty funny.”
The Montréal native’s parents and sister attended Madison Square Garden for his first game in the NHL, a milestone that is big not only for the player but also for the entire family.
“All the sacrifices my parents did when I was young to get to this point. They are the biggest impact for me,” Légaré continued. “All the work that I put in the last couple of years worked out pretty well.”
“It is a dream come true.”
A night that began with a “no bucket” solo lap in the team’s road white jersey ended with goalie hugs, fist bumps, and a 5-1 victory over New Jersey’s biggest rival – the New York Rangers.
“Obviously, to get the two points at MSG against these guys is pretty special,” Légaré said to MSGN after the game.
The 23-year-old only played 11:42, but he was a standout.
What stood out most was that Légaré understood his role. He played the same way he does in the American Hockey League with the Utica Comets: heavy on the forecheck, fast, and with a physical edge.
The winger finished the game with a team-leading six hits, tied with Paul Cotter. While he does not necessarily have a shoot-first mentality, Légaré was credited with two shots on goal.
“Légaré, for me in particular, played extremely hard, physical, hard on the puck, advanced the puck,” head coach Sheldon Keefe said. “He played like a guy that wants to be in the NHL and knows who he is.”
When speaking about his game, the winger spoke about his line with Mike Hardman and Justin Dowling.
“We kept our game simple, but I think it worked out pretty good,” he said to MSGN. “Hardman is a fast guy and he plays hard. Dowling’s got a lot of experience in this league, and he was there to control the puck a little bit more. I guess it worked out pretty good.”
“I thought those guys were really good tonight,” Keefe continued. “I was really impressed with them.”
Time will tell how long Légaré will remain with the Devils, but tonight, he can hold his head high, knowing he made an impression on Keefe and the fans.
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