The 19-year-old Oakville native, who played last season for the Ontario Hockey League’s Niagara IceDogs, appears to have turned his back on the Columbus Blue Jackets, according to numerous media reports.
The 2007 second-round draft choice of the NHL club, who was taken 37th overall, has informed the Blue Jackets, through his agent Doug Woods, that he will not report to training camp next month and intends to retire.
Legein was an all-star last season for the IceDogs, who vacated the Hershey Centre when Eugene Melnyk brought his St. Michael’s Majors to Mississauga.
Legein, who represented Canada at the World Junior Championships, where they won gold, finished the season with 24 goals and 13 assists in 30 games.
Blue Jackets’ general manager Scott Howson confirmed Woods had communicated with him.
“Stefan has informed us that he's not coming to (training) camp,” Howson told the Columbus Dispatch. “We’re surprised that Stefan has decided that this is what he wants to do. We’re surprised it’s come to this.
“We knew there were issues with Stefan going back to last spring. We’ve talked through it with him and we haven’t had any success."
The report seemed to catch Legein’s parents by surprise.
While Legein’s mother was unaware of his agent’s comments, his father, Chris, told media that “until Sept. 20 (when training camp opens), he hasn’t quit anything.”
According to the Dispatch, Legein showed signs of erratic behavior.
Last season, shortly after he served as alternate captain in Canada’s world junior championship win, Legein settled into a funk, Dispatch sources say, after returning to his junior club, the Niagara IceDogs.
Later in the season, after he recovered from a shoulder injury, Legein played in two playoff games with the Blue Jackets’ top minor-league affiliate in Syracuse, N.Y., before asking to return home to focus on working out.
Legein looked out of sorts at Blue Jackets development camp in July, according to reports, and he didn't stick around with other prospects this summer to train with strength and conditioning coach Barry Brennan.
Legein will be placed on the NHL’s suspended list if he doesn't report to camp, Howson said.
dwiner@mississauga.net
