Man of the Week: Nathan Legare

KHL.ru’s weekly column continues with Nathan Legare. The Traktor forward was on fire recently, as he was awarded with best forward honors last week after scoring goals in three consecutive games.

Nathan Legare is making an increasingly strong impression in his first KHL season. The Traktor forward was named the League’s Best Forward for the ninth week of the 2026-2027 campaign, earning the honor for the first time in his career. He collected four points (3+1) in three games, finishing the week with a plus-five rating while also contributing six hits and two blocked shots. His recent production is particularly important for a Traktor team that is still finding its identity after a major summer rebuild. Now coached by American Scott Gordon, the Black-and-Whites are fighting to secure a place in the Eastern Conference playoffs, and Legare's scoring touch could prove instrumental in that campaign.

Early Years

Born on January 11, 2001, in Montreal, Quebec, Legare grew up in a hockey-loving family. The youngest of three children, he was introduced to the sport by his father, who had also played hockey. According to Legare, his first experience on the ice was not particularly encouraging: he reportedly came off in tears after his first skating session at the age of three. However, seeing his friends continuing to enjoy themselves convinced him to give the sport another chance.

After developing his skills in Montreal’s youth hockey scene, Legare joined the Baie-Comeau Drakkar of the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League, where he quickly established himself as a scorer. His first season, in 2017-2018, brought 29 points (10+19) in 62 games. The following year, however, he took a major step forward, recording 87 points (45+42) in 68 appearances. His 45 goals tied for second among all QMJHL players, while his 87 points placed him eighth in the League. He followed that up with another productive campaign in 2019-2020, scoring 35 goals and adding 36 assists for 71 points in 61 games.

By then, Legare had also become an important leader in Baie-Comeau, serving as team captain between 2019 and 2021. He also represented Canada at the 2019 U18 World Junior Championship, scoring four goals in seven games and wearing an alternate captain’s letter.

His final junior season saw him split between Baie-Comeau and the Val-d'Or Foreurs. After collecting 14 points (5+9) in 14 games with the Drakkar, he added 24 points (11+13) in 19 appearances following his move to Val-d'Or. He was particularly effective in the playoffs, scoring 14 goals to lead all QMJHL players in that category.

Across four seasons in the league, Legare accumulated 225 points (106+119) in 224 regular-season games, establishing himself as a natural goal scorer and earning the attention of NHL scouts.

Climbing Up

The Pittsburgh Penguins consequently selected Legare in the third round, 74th overall, of the 2019 NHL Draft. After completing his junior career, he moved up to the American Hockey League with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.

His first two seasons brought 35 points (15+20) in 125 games. Those numbers were not spectacular compared with his junior production, but he continued to develop physically and establish himself as a utility forward. He also accumulated 106 penalty minutes across those two campaigns.

In 2023, Pittsburgh traded Legare to the Montreal Canadiens as part of the deal involving Jeff Petry, Casey DeSmith, Mike Hoffman, and Rem Pitlick. He initially joined Montreal’s AHL affiliate, the Laval Rocket, where he recorded nine points (6+3) in 39 games during the 2023-2024 season. Notably, four of his goals came shorthanded.

Another trade

In March 2024, Montreal sent him to the New Jersey Devils organization in exchange for forward Arnaud Durandeau, who lined up for Amur in 2024-2025. Legare finished that season with the Utica Comets, collecting three points (2+1) in 15 games.

The following campaign was Legare’s most productive as a professional in North America. Playing 69 games for Utica in 2024-2025, he scored 17 goals and added eight assists for 25 points. His seven game-winning goals led the Comets, while his 102 penalty minutes were the highest total on the team. He also received his first NHL opportunity, making his debut at Madison Square Garden against the New York Rangers on December 2, 2024. He appeared in three NHL games that season without recording a point.

Legare remained with the Devils organization in 2025-2026, splitting his time between Utica and New Jersey. He scored 13 goals and added seven assists in 65 AHL games, while making one further NHL appearance. His NHL career ultimately stood at four games, with no points scored. By the time he left North America, Legare had accumulated 92 points (53+39) in 313 AHL regular-season games.

Move to the KHL

In July 2026, Legare signed a one-year contract with Traktor, beginning his first adventure overseas. He made an immediate impression in preseason, scoring twice in his first appearance against Avtomobilist, although Chelyabinsk eventually lost 4-3 in overtime.

He arrived in a team undergoing considerable changes. After reaching the Gagarin Cup Final in 2025, Traktor suffered a disappointing first-round exit in 2026 and subsequently embarked on a major reconstruction. Several key imports departed, including Joshua Leivo, Jordan Gross, and Logan Day, while a number of established Russian players also moved on. Among the newcomers were Legare, fellow Canadian Boris Katchouk, and Norwegian goaltender Henrik Haukeland.

The coaching position also changed hands. American Scott Gordon took charge, bringing more than 30 years of coaching experience in the NHL, AHL, and international hockey. With Traktor once again placing its trust in a North American head coach, the new project has been built around a substantially reshaped roster, with the immediate objective of returning to the playoffs.

Legare has already become one of the most important contributors to that effort. Through 24 regular-season games, he had collected 15 points (10+5), making him the team's leading goal scorer and second in overall scoring behind defenseman Grigori Dronov.

His latest performances have been particularly encouraging. Legare opened the scoring in consecutive victories over Barys and Ak Bars, helping Traktor end a three-game losing streak with a 2-1 win over the Astana team before contributing to a 5-3 comeback victory against Kazan. Against Ak Bars, he also registered an assist on Mikhail Grigorenko’s goal. Those contributions helped him earn the KHL's Best Forward award for the ninth week, with his three goals and one assist in three appearances accompanied by a plus-five rating.

Traktor still has plenty of work to do. The team is battling to climb into the Eastern Conference's top eight, and consistency will be essential over the coming months. However, Legare’s early production offers reasons for optimism. With a proven ability to find the net, a strong physical presence, and an increasingly important role under Gordon, the Canadian could be one of the players who makes the difference in Chelyabinsk's playoff pursuit.