Ritter's Rant: Is Legein Doomed in the AHL?

Written By: Mark “The Hard Hitter” Ritter

Selected by the Columbus Blue Jackets with the No. 32 pick in the 2007 NHL entry draft, Stefan Legein has had a lot of ups and downs in his somehow uneventful professional hockey career.

Sure, there were the headlines when he announced he was quitting hockey in the summer of 2008, and more recently, he made another splash when he was traded from the Blue Jackets to the Philadelphia Flyers in October of 2009.

Well, through 19 games split between the AHL’s Syracuse Crunch (Blue Jacket’s AHL affiliate) and the Adirondack Phantoms (Flyers’ AHL affiliate), Legein has amassed a grand total of six goals and one assist.

In 13 games with the Phantoms Legein has a disturbing plus/minus rating of -10, and by all accounts, looks to be a very average prospect. To sum it all up: when it comes to Legein, don’t believe the hype.

In all likelihood he will never see NHL action.

Nazim Khadri, the Toronto Maple Leafs' first round draft pick (seventh overall) at the 2009 NHL entry draft has been struggling to find his game with the London Knights of the OHL.

Through 24 games he has registered 15 goals, 13 assists and has a plus/minus rating of +12. His 28 points ranks him 37th overall amongst all OHL scorers, hardly the output the Leafs were hoping for.

Through 21 games, New York Rangers pest Sean Avery has four goals and 11 points. More importantly for the Rangers, Avery has managed to stay out of the headlines and, to everyone’s surprise, has managed to avoid a suspension form Colin Campbell and the NHL this season. Who’da thunk it?

If Steve Yzerman and team Canada do decide to go with a Joe Thornton, Patrick Marleau, and Dany Heatley as its first line, that leaves the likes of Sidney Crosby, Jarome Iginla, and Rick Nash to play second fiddle to the three red hot San Jose Sharks.

The thing is, how do you tell Sidney Crosby, the only player amongst Canada’s top six forwards to win a Stanley Cup, that he is going to have to play second fiddle to Thornton, a player who has a suspect resume when the chips are down? Crosby should be Canada’s No. 1 centre, period.

Leading the NHL with an average of 3.44 goals per game is (you guessed it) the Atlanta Thrashers. Obviously, Ilya Kovalchuk and his 14 goals have a lot to do with the Thrashers success, but you cannot underestimate the contributions of Rich Peverley (10 goals) and left-for-dead free agent signee Maxim Afinogenov, who, with 10 goals on the season has served notice that he is back.

Tell me again how the Nashville Predators are getting it done with their roster? Through 25 games the Preds are 15-9-1 and sit ninth overall in the NHL standings, ahead of such teams as the Boston Bruins (10th), Detroit Red Wings (17th), Vancouver Canucks (19th), Philadelphia Flyers (20th), and the New York Rangers (21st).

The Predators, who are 8-2-0 in their last 10 games, do not have a single double-digit scorer on the entire team, have the 25th ranked power play, and average 2.52 goals scored per game, are ranked 28th overall in offense. I guess defense can win games after all. The Preds are 10th overall in that department.

At .729 percent, the New Jersey Devils own the NHL’s best winning percentage. You knew with Martin Brodeur and Zach Parise in the lineup that the Devils would be good, but I don’t think anyone thought they’d be this good.

Worst plus/minus rating in the NHL is none other than the Carolina Hurricanes Rod Brind’Amour. Funny, wasn’t he in the same position last season? With all due respect Mr. Brind’Amour, don’t you think it’s time you hung them up?

Here is an update on the Martin Havlat watch: 19 games played, two goals (both on the power play) scored, six assists and a plus/minus rating of -14...yikes!

There are always key games to look back on when a team turns the corner towards playing well. Friday night’s game, a 6-4 victory over the Florida Panthers, will be that game for the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Sticking with the Leafs, Saturday night was brutal without the Buds on hockey night in Canada. Heads up: it will happen again on Saturday, Jan. 16. Make plans now. You don’t want to be stuck home with the wife watching chick flicks!

In case you didn’t know, starting Dec. 5 Gabe Morency (formally of The Score ) will be launching his new website. Louis Pisano, my B/R counterpart, and I will be throwing down our Podcast “Get The Puck Out ” every Saturday from 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM.

The Live Podcast will be broadcast in studio from Toronto featuring some betting analysis, fantasy advice, trivia, team, player updates, and more puck talk than you can imagine.

Be sure to call in and let your opinion be known. Check back with “Ritter’s Rant” on The Bleacher Report for further details and the call-in number. The inaugural show is set for Dec. 12. Don’t miss it, puckheads!

You can catch Morency and “Get The Puck Out” at www.morencysports.com , the site launches Dec. 5.

Until next time,

Peace!