Nathan Legare is wasting no time making noise in the KHL.
After leaving the New Jersey Devils organization this offseason, the former prospect signed with Traktor Chelyabinsk and has already looked right at home on the bigger ice. In preseason play, Legare has put up five goals in three games, a fast start that stands out even on a roster with a few recognizable names, including former Devils forward Vladimir Zharkov. Traktor also features former NHLers Vitali Kravtsov and Mikhail Grigorenko, among others.
Legare’s move overseas came after a stretch in which he was unable to carve out a real NHL role with New Jersey. He was called up last season when injuries began stacking up, but he didn’t do much with the opportunity.
It was a familiar story. The year before, he got another look in 2024 while the Devils were dealing with injuries, only to be sent back to the AHL when Nathan Bastian returned in December.
His numbers in the minors never really forced the issue, either. Legare finished last season with 13 AHL goals and zero NHL goals, and the source material notes that his production actually slipped year over year. It also states he had 17 goals in 2024-25.
That doesn’t mean the KHL run should be ignored, just not overread. Players with NHL experience can sometimes find a different kind of value in Russia, and former Devils winger Daniel Sprong is cited as another example of that trend after struggling badly to produce in the NHL.
Still, this is only the preseason, and that matters. Legare has clearly made a strong first impression with Traktor, and there’s no reason not to be happy for a player who always looked like a useful piece in Utica. But until the games count in the standings, the Devils probably aren’t kicking themselves just yet.
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