Legwand, a center from Detroit, was the first player ever drafted by the Nashville Predators and went on to set a number of team records while playing 14 of his 16 full NHL seasons with them.
The Predators chose Legwand with the No. 2 pick in the 1998 NHL Draft after a 54-goal, 105-point season with Plymouth of the Ontario Hockey League. He was sent back to Plymouth for 1998-99 but joined the Predators at the end of the season and made his NHL debut on April 17, 1999. Legwand made the Predators at training camp that fall and scored his first NHL goal against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Oct. 11, 1999.
Legwand, a center from Detroit, was the first player ever drafted by the Nashville Predators and went on to set a number of team records while playing 14 of his 16 full NHL seasons with them.
The Predators chose Legwand with the No. 2 pick in the 1998 NHL Draft after a 54-goal, 105-point season with Plymouth of the Ontario Hockey League. He was sent back to Plymouth for 1998-99 but joined the Predators at the end of the season and made his NHL debut on April 17, 1999. Legwand made the Predators at training camp that fall and scored his first NHL goal against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Oct. 11, 1999.
It was the first of Legwand's 13 goals as a rookie and began a stretch that saw him reach double figures in goals in 13 of the next 14 seasons. His best offensive season came in 2006-07, when he had NHL career highs in goals (27) and points (63). He reached the 20-goal mark again in 2008-09.
Legwand was also the first player in NHL history to score a penalty shot goal in overtime; he did it for the Predators against the New York Rangers on Dec. 23, 2000.
As the 2014 NHL Trade Deadline approached, Legwand was in the final season of his contract -- and with the Predators out of the playoff race, they traded him to the Detroit Red Wings on March 5, 2014. But Legwand's time in his hometown was brief; he signed with the Ottawa Senators as a free agent on July 4, 2014, played one season with the Senators before being traded to the Buffalo Sabres on June 26, 2015. He played one season for Buffalo before retiring.
Legwand finished his NHL career with 618 points (228 goals, 390 assists) in 1,136 NHL games. He also had 28 points (13 goals, 15 assists) in 55 Stanley Cup Playoff games. When he retired, Legwand held Predators team records for games played (956), goals (210), assists (356) and points (566).
NOTES & TRANSACTIONS
- OHL All-Rookie Team (1998)
- OHL First All-Star Team (1998)
- OHL Rookie of the Year (1998)
- OHL Player of the Year (1998)
- Canadian Major Junior Rookie of the Year (1998)
- Signed as a free agent by Basel (Swiss-2), January 27, 2005.
- Traded to Detroit by Nashville for Patrick Eaves, Calle Jarnkrok and Detroit's 2nd round pick (later traded to San Jose, San Jose selected Julius Bergman) in 2014 NHL Draft, March 5, 2014.
- Signed as a free agent by Ottawa, July 4, 2014.
- Traded to Buffalo by Ottawa with Robin Lehner for NY Islanders' 1st round pick (previously acquired, Ottawa selected Colin White) in 2015 NHL Draft, June 26, 2015.