Yesterday it was speculated that the Ottawa Senators were on the verge of trading for Vincent Lecavalier, but today they have gone out and signed the player that went second overall behind him in 1998, David Legwand. The deal is reportedly 2 years and $6M, for a cap hit of #3M per season. That amount, ironically enough, is the amount GM Bryan Murray said he opened up with the Jason Spezza trade. What that means for the ensuing trade Murray said he had almost completed but we haven’t heard about remains to be seen.
Legwand played all but 21 games of his NHL career with the Predators, from 1998 to the March trade deadline. He has played 956 NHL games, so he will play his 1,000th in a Senators uniform. He has 210 goals and 356 assists for 566 points.
Legwand scored 14 goals and 37 points in 83 games last season split between the Predators and Red Wings.
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He will likely garner the second line centre role behind Kyle Turris and much like I said about Lecavalier yesterday when the rumours were swirling, will insulate both Turris and Mika Zibanejad as they fill new roles with the team.
Legwand brings experience, but has never really fulfilled the expectations of being the second overall pick, and some would have drafted him first overall that season after a standout OHL career in Plymouth.