David Legwand

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David Legwand
David Legwand - Buffalo Sabres.jpg
Legwand with the Buffalo Sabres in 2016
Born (1980-08-17) August 17, 1980 (age 41)
Detroit, Michigan, U.S.
Height 6 ft 2 in (188 cm)
Weight 207 lb (94 kg; 14 st 11 lb)
Position Center
Shot Left
Played for Nashville Predators
EHC Basel
Detroit Red Wings
Ottawa Senators
Buffalo Sabres
National team  United States
NHL Draft 2nd overall, 1998
Nashville Predators
Playing career 1999–2016

David A. Legwand (born August 17, 1980) is an American former professional ice hockey forward who played 16 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL). He was the first player ever drafted by the Nashville Predators, with whom he spent 12 full seasons and set several franchise records. He finished the final three seasons of his career split between the Predators, Detroit Red Wings, Ottawa Senators and Buffalo Sabres.

Playing career[]

Amateur[]

Legwand attended Grosse Pointe North High School.[citation needed] As a youth, he played in the 1993 and 1994 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournaments with the Detroit Little Caesars minor ice hockey team.[1]

He played his junior career with the Plymouth Whalers of the OHL. In the season before he was drafted, he scored 54 goals along with 51 assists, totaling 105 points. He also won the Red Tilson Award as the most outstanding player in the league.[citation needed]

Nashville Predators[]

Legwand in 2009.

Legwand was drafted 2nd overall by the Nashville Predators in 1998 NHL Entry Draft, behind Vincent Lecavalier. He was briefly called up late in the team's inaugural season, making his debut in the final game of the season, and spent most of his NHL career with the Predators. He currently holds many franchise records for the Predators, including most games played, goals, assists, and points.[2]

During the NHL 2004–05 lockout season, Legwand played for the Swiss team EHC Basel.[citation needed]

Legwand became the first NHL player to score on a penalty shot in overtime on December 23, 2000 against the New York Rangers.[3]

Legwand in 2011.

After several first round playoff exits, Legwand and the Predators advanced to the second round for the first time in franchise history and his career in 2011. The Predators were defeated by the eventual Western Conference Champions Vancouver Canucks in six games.[citation needed]

On March 5, 2014, in the final year of his contract with the Predators and out of playoff contention, Legwand was traded to the Detroit Red Wings for Patrick Eaves, Calle Järnkrok, and a conditional 2014 draft pick, ending his 15-year career in Nashville.[4] He left Nashville as the franchise's all-time leader in all offensive categories and games played, with 956 appearances. As a result of the trade Legwand gained the uncommon distinction of playing 83 games in the normally 82 game NHL season.[citation needed]

Later years[]

On July 4, 2014, Legwand signed a two-year, $6 million free agent contract with the Ottawa Senators. The move came after the Senators traded star center Jason Spezza to the Dallas Stars.[5] In his only season in Ottawa in 2014-15 season, Legwand added a veteran presence in helping return the Senators to the playoffs, however suffered a decline in production with 9 goals and 27 points in 80 games.[citation needed]

On June 26, 2015, Legwand was traded to the Buffalo Sabres along with Senators teammate Robin Lehner in exchange for the New York Islanders' 1st-round pick in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft.[6]

Legwand announced his retirement from professional hockey on December 22, 2016.[7]

Personal life[]

Legwand and his wife, Lindsey, have two children, with the firstborn being a son born on November 21, 2009.[8][9]

In January 2015, Legwand, along with former NHL player Derian Hatcher, entered an agreement to purchase the Sarnia Sting of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL).[10] The transfer of ownership was approved by the OHL Board of Governors and completed on March 4, 2015.[11]

Records and milestones[]

  • Nashville Predators record for most games played (956)
  • Nashville Predators record for most goals scored (210)
  • Nashville Predators record for most assists (356)
  • Nashville Predators record for most points (566)

Career statistics[]

Regular season and playoffs[]

    Regular season   Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
1996–97 Detroit Ambassadors NAHL 44 21 41 62 58 — — — — —
1997–98 Plymouth Whalers OHL 59 54 51 105 56 15 8 12 20 24
1998–99 Plymouth Whalers OHL 55 31 49 80 65 11 3 8 11 8
1998–99 Nashville Predators NHL 1 0 0 0 0 — — — — —
1999–00 Nashville Predators NHL 71 13 15 28 30 — — — — —
2000–01 Nashville Predators NHL 81 13 28 41 38 — — — — —
2001–02 Nashville Predators NHL 63 11 19 30 54 — — — — —
2002–03 Nashville Predators NHL 64 17 31 48 34 — — — — —
2003–04 Nashville Predators NHL 82 18 29 47 46 6 1 0 1 8
2004–05 EHC Basel NLB 3 6 2 8 2 19 16 23 39 20
2005–06 Nashville Predators NHL 44 7 19 26 34 5 0 1 1 8
2005–06 Milwaukee Admirals AHL 3 0 0 0 0 — — — — —
2006–07 Nashville Predators NHL 78 27 36 63 44 5 0 3 3 2
2007–08 Nashville Predators NHL 65 15 29 44 38 3 1 0 1 2
2008–09 Nashville Predators NHL 73 20 22 42 32 — — — — —
2009–10 Nashville Predators NHL 82 11 27 38 24 6 2 5 7 8
2010–11 Nashville Predators NHL 64 17 24 41 24 12 6 3 9 8
2011–12 Nashville Predators NHL 78 19 34 53 26 10 3 3 6 10
2012–13 Nashville Predators NHL 48 12 13 25 20 — — — — —
2013–14 Nashville Predators NHL 62 10 30 40 30 — — — — —
2013–14 Detroit Red Wings NHL 21 4 7 11 31 5 0 0 0 0
2014–15 Ottawa Senators NHL 80 9 18 27 32 3 0 0 0 0
2015–16 Buffalo Sabres NHL 79 5 9 14 14 — — — — —
NHL totals 1136 228 390 618 551 55 13 15 28 46

International[]

Year Team Event Result   GP G A Pts PIM
1998 United States WJC 5th 7 0 0 0 2
1999 United States WJC 8th 6 1 3 4 31
1999 United States WC 6th 6 0 2 2 4
2000 United States WC 5th 6 1 1 2 4
2001 United States WC 4th 9 2 4 6 4
2005 United States WC 6th 7 0 1 1 4
Junior totals 13 1 3 4 33
Senior totals 28 3 8 11 16

References[]

  1. ^ "Pee-Wee players who have reached NHL or WHA" (PDF). Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament. 2018. Retrieved February 9, 2019.
  2. ^ "David Legwand player statistics". hockeydb.com. April 27, 2013. Retrieved April 27, 2013.
  3. ^ "Predators Rally and Finish Rangers on Penalty Shot". The New York Times. December 23, 2000. Retrieved February 24, 2001.
  4. ^ "Red Wings acquire forward David Legwand from Nashville". National Hockey League. March 5, 2014. Retrieved March 5, 2014.
  5. ^ "Senators sign F Legwand to two-year contract". The Sports Network. July 4, 2014. Retrieved July 4, 2014.
  6. ^ "Sabres trade for Lehner, Legwand from Senators". Buffalo Sabres. June 26, 2014. Retrieved June 26, 2014.
  7. ^ "David Legwand retires after 16 NHL seasons". NHLPA. December 22, 2016. Retrieved December 22, 2016.
  8. ^ "Nashville: the scene of the 'Legwand hat trick'". Ottawa Citizen. October 7, 2014. Retrieved March 15, 2015.
  9. ^ "Returning to Detroit makes trade easier for Legwand". NHL. May 4, 2014. Retrieved March 15, 2015.
  10. ^ "Sarnia Sting sold to new owners". theobserver.ca. January 22, 2015. Retrieved November 30, 2016.
  11. ^ "Legwand and Hatcher, New Owners of Sarnia Sting". LastWordOnSports.com. March 4, 2015. Retrieved April 11, 2017.

External links[]

Awards and achievements
Preceded by
Franchise created 		Nashville Predators first round draft pick
1998 		Succeeded by
Brian Finley
Retrieved from ""