After playing together last season with Val-d'Or, training together this summer in their native Quebec, and then attending Rookie Camp together right here in Pittsburgh, one might start to wonder if childhood friends Sam Poulin and Nathan Legare are starting to get sick of each other. But the boys said that is most definitely not the case.
Poulin and Legare Feel Ready to Take the Next Step
"Outside of the rink, we spend time together too," Legare said. "It's a lot of fun to be around him. We push each other, so it's fun."
The forwards - who both got drafted by Pittsburgh in 2019 - are taking the next step in their careers and turning professional after finishing out their final seasons of junior hockey with the Foreurs, who reached the QMJHL championship before falling to Victoriaville in six games.
"It was great to be teammates, to be honest," Poulin said. "We had a lot of fun. I think our team was great, too. So overall, we had a really nice second half of our season. And it was something that was just so much fun."
Legare had a particularly good playoff run, going on an absolute tear and recording an eye-popping 14 goals in 15 postseason games. That came after he collected 11 goals in 19 regular-season contests with Val-d'Or following a trade from Baie-Comeau, where he had spent the first three seasons of his career and served as captain in 2019-20.
"I was in the zone," Legare said. "I lost weight before the playoffs, too, so I was mentally and physically prepared for the playoffs. One of my goals was to win, and we lost in the finals, so it was a tough loss. But it's going to push me harder for the future."
Legare's goal-scoring ability is a big reason why the Penguins traded up to select him in the third round (74th overall) two years ago, as he finished with 106 career goals in 224 career contests.
But he has also lost about 15 pounds coming into camp, working with a nutritionist in Quebec to help him shed weight so that he could add quickness, as the Penguins wanted Legare to make his first few steps more explosive.
"One of my weaknesses was my quick start, and I improved that," said Legare, who is listed as 6-foot and 205 pounds. "That was a big part of the discussion last year. It's a new life for me. It's not juniors anymore. You have to be a professional on and off the ice. You have to make all the sacrifices, and that's what I did during the summer. I'm prepared for that, and I can't wait."
After Legare was traded to Val-d'Or on Dec. 20, 2020, the Foreurs acquired Poulin from Sherbrooke - where he had spent the first three seasons of his career - on Jan. 25, 2021.
The Penguins' first-round pick went on to record the fifth-most points on the team, registering 31 points (11G-20A) in 24 games, and went on a streak of his own in the playoffs - scoring 11 goals in 15 playoff games. But while Poulin's numbers were great, it's his play away from the puck that he was most proud of.
"I think (my defensive game) grew a lot," he said. "It's the aspect I improved a lot back in junior. I played first PK and I had some big minutes on the defensive side of the game. So I think it's just helped me to be a better, well-rounded player. So I think it grew a lot in the past few years."
Poulin also played the center ice position for the first time since Bantam, which helped him see the game from a different perspective.
"I think that was good for me," he said. "I've learned to play all three positions as a forward. I think it's just good for my toolbox to be able to play anywhere."
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton head coach J.D. Forrest said both Poulin and Legare have looked great during Rookie Camp. They're looking to carry that over into training camp later this week and hopefully fight for spots in Pittsburgh.
"With Poulin and Legare, they have so much talent and so much potential and they work so hard," Forrest said. "You can see it. They want it so bad. So they've been great to work with on the ice, and you can see their skillsets. Leggy, his shot is really good. He's a really motivated guy, and so is Poulin. It's just a matter of getting those things to translate.
"You're taking a big step and you have to be able to play with all the players around you, and those guys will figure it out. How fast they do it, we'll see. If it's really quick, it'd be great to see them here (in Pittsburgh). But we'll be excited to work with them if they are in Wilkes-Barre."
