Tuesday, October 20, 2009 2:45 PM
Legein gets fresh start in Philly
Eric Duhatschek
It would just be another below-the-radar minor-league transaction, if it hadn’t involved Stefan Legein, the Columbus Blue Jackets’ prospect and former star of Canada’s world junior team. Legein, remember, took a half-year sabbatical from hockey at the start of last year, citing burnout and a lack of the necessary passion needed to play at a high level.
Legein eventually rejoined the Blue Jackets’ organization for the second half of last season and played out the year for their AHL affiliate in Syracuse. On Tuesday, the Blue Jackets traded him to the Philadelphia Flyers in exchange for defenceman Michael Ratchuk.
Getting a fresh start in the Flyers organization may be just what Legein needs to get his career on the rails. Sometimes, a change of scenery is the answer – it gives a player a chance to park his baggage at the curb, and start fresh.
Philadelphia is an interesting destination given that the Flyers gave up on a similar pepper-pot sort of player when they moved Steve Downie last year to the Tampa Bay Lightning. Energy players – more than any others – are unpredictable in terms of their development path. More long shots make it in that role than any others – players drafted in the nether regions of the entry draft that eventually figure out what it takes to be a day-in, day-out pro. That, in effect, will be the challenge for Legein, who according to Blue Jackets’ general manager Scott Howson, “to his credit, never asked for a trade - but if you read between the lines, I think he’s probably happy he’s getting a fresh start. He was a model citizen since he came back and decided to play. His work ethic was good, his attitude was good. He trained hard in the summer. We wish him luck.”
Ratchuk is less of a known quantity. At 21, he was Philadelphia’s third pick, 42nd overall, in 2006 and was playing for their farm team in Adirondack at the time of the trade. A smallish rearguard, with good puck-handling skills, Ratchuk left college after two years and according to Howson, probably hasn’t developed offensively the way the Flyers thought he might.
Both players are still young enough to possess an NHL upside. It will be interesting to see if one or both or neither makes it. The one thing about Howson's record as a GM of the surging Blue Jackets: They haven’t made a lot of mistakes lately.
