Nathan Légaré made his NHL debut at Madison Square Garden, arguably the most famous arena in the world, in the winter of 2024.
Besides the game itself, a 5-1 New Jersey victory, he remembers playing against one of his best buddies, New York Rangers forward Alexis Lafrenière, and a piece of advice his New Jersey Devils teammate Justin Dowling shared before his rookie lap.
"He told me to not step on the puck on the ice," Légaré said during a phone interview with The Hockey News. "It would have been funny if I did."
The 24-year-old appeared in three games with the Devils before returning to the Utica Comets of the American Hockey League, where he spent the majority of the 2024-25 season. While it was a brief NHL stint, it provided a boost for Légaré.
"There is more confidence about my game now," he explained. "Especially, now that I have played a couple of games in the NHL. That is a check mark, but the next one is to stay in the NHL and be a full-time NHLer. That is the mindset right now."
The Devils acquired the versatile forward on March 11, 2024, from the Montreal Canadiens. In his first full season with the Comets, he earned a single-season career high of 25 points.
In the AHL, Légaré found himself throughout Utica's lineup from top line to fourth, playing both wing and center. In the NHL, he considers himself a bottom-six player who can provide energy and kill penalties.
For his call-up, he knew what could separate him and make an impression on the coaching staff in New Jersey.
"For me, it is my physical presence," he shared. "I think in my first NHL game, I had five or six hits. That is part of my game, and when I am physical, that is when I play my best hockey.
"That was the big thing in Utica," he continued. "I was scoring goals at the end of the year, but I was also playing a physical game. I got in six fights, plus two in preseason. I think that is a good number for me. I am not looking for a fight, but when the situation is there, I think you have to do it. I know this year in the American League, teams are getting bigger, and we are going to need that physical presence. I am willing to do it. I am not going to say I am going to square off every night, but when the situation is there and my team needs me to fight, I am willing to do it."
Légaré had a total of six hits in his NHL debut, which tied Paul Cotter for the most among Devils skaters that night. In three games, he logged 12 hits.
New Jersey Devils (@NJDevils) on XANOTHA ONE.
We have re-signed F Nathan Légaré to a one-year, two-way contract.
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With so many depth players leaving the Devils in free agency, the Montreal native sees an opportunity in New Jersey, but has a practical perspective.
"Everybody wants to make the New Jersey Devils, but at the same time, I think you have to be realistic," he said. "It is not the end of the world if you go back to Utica. You work hard, and you never know what can happen."
During his time with the Devils organization, Légaré has seen that hard work will lead to positive outcomes.
"That is what I like the most about the New Jersey Devils," he said, "They call the next guy up who deserves to get the call-up. You never know, it can be a guy on an AHL contract. I think about Samuel Laberge. Two years ago, he was on an AHL deal, signed a new deal, and got the call-up. It is pretty motivating for everybody in the organization. I think that is why all the guys arrive prepared for camp."
Seeing players' efforts being rewarded, coupled with a newfound confidence, Légaré admitted that his mindset has shifted as he prepares for training camp in one month.
"Last year (at training camp), it was making a good first impression because I was traded (in March)," he said. "This year, they know what I can bring and they saw what I was able to do during the season. For me, it is more of a game-changer now, and hopefully, I can crack the lineup at camp.
"I don't want to look too much at the depth chart," he continued. "I just want to focus on my game. That is what I did last year, and it ended up working for me. That is how I want to go into camp. Like I said, you never know what can happen."
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