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16 Sports Oakville Beaver SPORTS EDITOR: JON KUIPERIJ Phone 905-845-3824 (ext. 255) Fax 905-337-5567 email sports@oakvillebeaver.com · SATURDAY, JANUARY 20, 2007 Legein shining in new offensive role with IceDogs Forward scores goal in Canadian Hockey League Top Prospects Game By Herb Garbutt OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF Since joining the Mississauga IceDogs, Stefan Legein has had two coaches, each employing him in a vastly different role. The end result has been the creation of one complete player whose stock continues to rise seemingly every day. The 18-year-old right winger continued that ascent Wednesday when he played in the Home Hardware Canadian Hockey League Top Prospects Game in Quebec City. A late addition to the roster as an injury replacement just two days before the game, Legein sealed a 53 victory for Team Burns/Bergeron with an empty-net goal. Possible first-round selection Empty-net goals are rarely a topic of discussion but the commentators for Rogers Sportsnet, which was broadcasting the game, said the goal was a just reward for a strong performance by the Oakville native. They went on to say that Legein was one of the players who had done the most to increase his NHL draft standing, saying a late first-round selection may not be out of the question. Legein has taken advantage of every opportunity this season. He had established himself as a strong checking forward who had scored just 10 goals and 24 points in 108 games over his first two seasons in the Ontario Hockey League. The 5-foot-10, 185-pound winger said former Mississauga coach Greg Gilbert provided him with a solid foundation. "He taught me the defensive side of the game, how to check and play away from the puck," said Legein. "You can always work on your offensive abilities by yourself, just working on them on the ice. That's what I've been doing." Still, Legein needed the opportunity to showcase those skills. When Gilbert left the IceDogs to take the head coaching job with the Toronto Marlies, Mike Kelly took over behind the Mississauga bench and quickly saw that Legein had more to offer the team than a solid defensive game. "The first few days of training camp with a new coach, the puck is usually like a hot potato," Kelly said, "but he wanted the puck and the responsibility to do things with it. Within the first two or three days you could see he was ready (for a more offensive role)." Legein, who played his minor hockey with the Oakville Rangers until switching to the Toronto Red Wings in his junior draft year, wasted no time in proving his new coach right. He scored a goal in each of his first four games and by the IceDogs' seventh game had already matched his previous OHL season-high total of seven goals. "It's been an unreal season for me," Legein said. "Everything is going my way. I've been given more offensive leeway and I think being more experienced and more comfortable with the league (helps)." The steady stream of goals has not slowed. Legein has six multigoal games, including a four-goal effort against the Oshawa Generals in December. Legein currently shares the team lead with 27 goals and has 46 points in 43 games. A BARRIE ERSKINE / OAKVILLE BEAVER GETTING OFFENSIVE: Mississauga IceDogs forward Stefan Legein, pictured celebrating a goal in a recent game against the Oshawa Generals, has elevated his NHL draft standing this year with a breakthrough OHL season. fifth-round pick (97th overall) in the OHL draft, Legein will almost certainly improve on that when NHL teams convene in Columbus in June. He is currently ranked 32nd among North American skaters, a standing that would likely see him selected in the middle of the second round. "He still would have been a prospect because he's one of those players that's tough to play against," Kelly said. "Certainly with his offensive numbers, he's enhanced his draft status, but instead of being a later-round guy, he's moved into the top third of the draft." It's all a little overwhelming for Legein, who never imagined being among the top draft prospects before this season. "Not even close," he said. "There are so many good players, to be up there is unbelievable. (Wednesday), the skill level was incredible. They're so talented. You see all the players from the (Western Hockey League) and the (Quebec Major Junior Hockey League) that you never get to see and it's unbelievable. Whether I get drafted in the first round or the seventh round, it doesn't matter. It's every kid's dream (to be drafted)." And once drafted, Kelly is certain Legein won't rest on his laurels. "He just competes so hard," the IceDogs coach said. "He's one of those guys whether he's playing hockey, cards or tiddlywinks, he just wants to win." -- Herb Garbutt can be reached at sports@oakvillebeaver.com. Minor peewee AE Rangers clinch top spot in Tri-County regular season Five consecutive victories this month have locked up first place in Tri-County Minor Hockey League regular-season play for the Oakville minor peewee AE Rangers. Oakville outscored its opponents 19-2 during that span to finish with a record of 22-5-1, two points ahead of Brampton. Members of the team are Dan Bingham, Joel Furlan, Connor Baigrie, Joseph Sestito, John Breeson, David Watson, Matt Lunder, Johnathon Stamper, Jamie Bailey, Cameron De Fazio, Elliott Webster, Michael De Sario, Tyler Kennedy, Cole Nagy, Gregory Palumbo, Lucas Cheeseman and Aidan Pelino. Chris Stamper, Mark Nagy and Lane Bailey coach the Rangers. Russ Cheeseman is the trainer, Michael Lunder is equipment manager and Diane Antunes-DeSario is manager.