NATHAN LEGARE RESIGNS WITH DEVILS ON ONE-YEAR, TWO-WAY CONTRACT
By Devils PR / NewJerseyDevils.com
May 8, 2025The New Jersey Devils announced today that the team has re-signed forward Nathan Légaré to a one-year, two-way contract. Légaré was set to become a restricted free agent on July 1. The contract details are as follows for 2025-26: $775,000 at the NHL level and $125,000 ($140,000 guaranteed) at the American Hockey League (AHL) level. The announcement was made by President/General Manager Tom Fitzgerald and Devils’ Assistant General Manager/Utica Comets General Manager Dan MacKinnon.
Légaré, 24, completed his first season with the organization after playing 69 games with New Jersey’s AHL affiliate in Utica and three games at the NHL level with the Devils. The 6’0”, 210 lbs. forward recorded a career-high 17 goals and 25 points at the AHL level, with his 17 goals tied for fifth on Utica last season. Légaré’s seven game-winning goals ranked first on Utica and also marked a career-high. His 102 PIM led all Utica skaters in 2024-25 and set his record for a single season in the AHL. The Devils recalled Légaré from Utica on Dec. 2, 2024, and he made his NHL debut at Madison Square Garden against the New York Rangers.
Légaré was acquired in a trade with the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for Arnaud Durandeau on March 11, 2024. The forward began the 2023-24 season with Montreal’s AHL affiliate in Laval and played in 39 games. He then spent the remainder of the 2023-24 campaign with Utica and skated in 15 regular-season contests. Légaré totaled 12 points (8g-4a) in 54 games at the AHL level during the 2023-24 season. He also recorded two game-winning goals, four shorthanded goals, and 61 PIM. Légaré was one of five AHL skaters who earned four or more shorthanded goals in 2023-24.
Before the 2023-24 season, Légaré played in two AHL seasons with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton from 2021-22 to 2022-23. Overall, the right-handed shot has played in 248 career regular season contests at the AHL level and totaled 269 PIM.
Born on January 11, 2001, Pittsburgh selected Légaré in the third round, 74th overall, in the 2019 NHL Draft. A native of Montreal, Quebec, he played four seasons in the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) from 2017-18 to 2020-21. He played for Baie-Comeau from 2017-18 to 2020-21 before Val-d’Or acquired Légaré in his final QMJHL season. Légaré served as team captain for Baie-Comeau between 2019 and 2021. He also led the team in goals during the 2018-19 (45) and 2019-20 (35) seasons and led all QMJHL skaters with 14 goals during the 2021 playoffs with Val-d’Or.
Légaré represented Canada internationally at the International Ice Hockey Federation’s (IIHF) 2019 U18 World Junior Championship (WJC) where he recorded four goals and served as an alternate captain.