Belleville Senators assistant coach Stefan Legein can recall who he was with when his Team Canada teammate Matt Hallischuk scored an overtime goal in the gold medal game at the 2008 World Juniors in Pardubice, Czech Republic.

Mr. Legein, a second-round pick by the Columbus Blue Jackets in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft, was injured in his first shift on the finals. He was sent to hospital to stabilize his shoulder. But he rushed back to the rink in time for the third period.

Watching the game from the cramped Canadian dressing room, the emotional leader of Canada’s entry was relegated to the sidelines, an observer. But he wasn’t about to miss his chance at celebrating if Canada clinched its fourth straight World Junior championship in overtime.

“I remember, somebody had tied up my skates for me and I was sitting there watching the feed with our goaltending coach Corey Hirsch and our video coach, (Picton native) Jamie Pringle. When we scored it was like we were all little kids again and we all went running onto the ice,” Mr. Legein said. “It’s an awesome memory.”

Of course, local hockey fans know that Mr. Pringle, after a highly successful stint with Hockey Canada from 2006-2008, is about to enter his 19th NHL season as a video coach. He signed a two-year extension with the Calgary Flames in May.

In an interview with the Gazette in 2008, Mr. Pringle recalled watching the game with the injured player. He was amazed at the young man’s spirit —despite a shoulder injury that ultimately would derail a budding NHL career.

“I remember looking over at Stefan and feeling bad that his tournament was over but he was still there, hanging on every play, and I remember his face and how happy he was when we clinched it,” Mr. Pringle said at the time.

It’s a love of the game that, despite setbacks, couldn’t be extinguished. And now, Mr. Legein is trying to climb to professional hockey’s highest rung in a different manner than scouts and coaches might have expected about 20 seasons ago.

“My playing career didn’t go as I would’ve liked, and there were a lot of extenuating circumstances, but after stepping away from playing and a few months off and away, there was definitely a void in my life,” he explained.

The Oakville native started working at some skill development camps and took to coaching the x’s and o’s of hockey. Ironically, he landed a video coaching role with the Mississauga Steelheads of the Ontario Hockey League for the 2017-18 campaign.

Mr. Legein then took a tour of the rest of the Canadian Hockey League, spending four seasons on the bench in Saint John, NB followed by a two-year stint in Spokane, WA.

“As time wore on in Saint John and then Spokane, I realized I still have the passion and I started to believe there was another avenue for me to take to the NHL,” he said.

In 2024, the Senators organization came calling with an AHL posting in Belleville and this summer, the Sens extended Mr. Legein’s contract for another three seasons.

Now living on Roblin Lake in Ameliasburgh, where he counts former NHLer Andrew Shaw as one of his neighbours, Mr. Legein said he’s grateful for the support of the Senators brass as he chases his NHL dream in a new way.

“It means a lot to have people like (Ottawa Senators GM) Steve Staios and (Belleville GM) Matt Turek in your corner and recognizing that, just like the players, we all have NHL dreams and the organization provides you with the tools and opportunity to see that through,” he said. “I’m very grateful for their support.”