CRANBERRY, Pa. -- Nathan Legare is not the player he was a year or two ago.
And the Penguins probably are pretty happy about that.
That's because, for all they liked about Legare's game, team officials had made it known they were concerned that his quickness was not at the level needed to reach his potential in pro hockey.
Legace, a third-round draft choice in 2019, responded by working with a nutritionist to modify his diet, which helped him to shed about 15 pounds over the past year. He also worked with power-skating instructors to upgrade "my first three steps."
Early indications are that all of it was worth the effort.
"I think I'm more quick," Legare said Sunday, after Day 2 of the Penguins' development camp at UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex. "My first three, four, five steps are quicker. One of my weaknesses last year was my (lack of a) quick start. Now, maybe, I've improved it, so it's going to be good for my game."
The Penguins list Legare as being 6-foot, 205 pounds, a weight with which he said he is comfortable.
"I'm pretty happy where I'm at now," he said. "The way I play -- the power-forward game -- I don't need to be lower. I'm at my best weight, I think."
Any extra pounds Legare might have been carrying didn't seem to hurt his production last season, as he piled up 17 goals and 22 assists in 33 games with Baie-Comeau and Val d'Or. He followed that with a postseason rampage during which he recorded14 goals and four assists in 15 games for the Foreurs.
"I think I was just in the zone," he said. "Before the playoffs, I lost weight, too. I was just mentally prepared for the playoffs."
While Legare's quickness was a conspicuous flaw in his game, his shot long has been an obvious asset.
It is hard and accurate, and Legare gets it off quickly, as numerous QMJHL goalies discovered over the past few years.
"My shot is one of my strengths," he said. "I want to keep bringing that during the (preseason) games. It's going to create some chances for me, and for my team, too. Maybe win some games, sometime."
Legare has yet to skate a professional shift at any level and likely will be a long shot to earn a spot on the major-league roster when the Penguins' regular training camp begins with photos and physicals Wednesday.
Nonetheless, he seems to have embraced the challenges that are inherent in moving to the next phase of his career, regardless of whether he's based in western Pennsylvania or Wilkes-Barre.
"It's, maybe, a new life," Legare said. "It's not junior anymore. You have to be a pro every day, on and off the ice. You have to make all the sacrifices, and that's what I did during the summer, so I'm prepared for that. I can't wait."
