Dave Molinari: LeClair Still a Big Bargain

Penguins' investment in John LeClair pays off on and off the ice, and that doesn't surprise anybody who knows him
Saturday, November 12, 2005
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

When the Penguins signed John LeClair as a free agent this summer -- committed $4 million over two years to a 36-year-old who has had three back operations -- a lot of people figured they had suffered a ghastly lapse in judgment.

That the Penguins were squandering precious resources on a worn-out relic from a bygone era, a guy whose time here would be so forgettable that it wouldn't merit even a footnote in the story of his career.

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And those were the optimists.

But the Penguins were convinced that LeClair's talent level remained formidable, even though his days as a 50-goal man were a distant memory. And that his contribution would not be limited to what he achieved on the ice.

As the first quarter of the season winds down, they haven't had much reason to second-guess the decision to add him to their payroll. LeClair enters the game tonight against the New York Rangers at Mellon Arena with five goals and five assists in 14 games.

He was scoreless during the Penguins' 3-2 shootout victory against Montreal Thursday -- LeClair's first game back after sitting out three because of multiple fractures near his right eye -- but had scored four goals in his previous four games after getting just one in the first nine.

Factor his leadership into the equation, and the decision to sign LeClair doesn't seem like much of a gamble. Which is pretty much what those who know him best anticipated.
"He's everything I expected him to be, really," said Penguins winger Mark Recchi, LeClair's long-time teammate in Philadelphia.

Coach Eddie Olczyk echoed that sentiment, saying that LeClair has given the Penguins "exactly what I thought we'd get from him." That includes the inspiration he provided by returning to the lineup just days after being struck in the face by a puck last Saturday.

Although the right side of LeClair's face remains swollen and badly bruised, he seized the opportunity to reclaim his place on the third line with Lasse Pirjeta and Konstantin Koltsov. He logged 16 minutes, five seconds of ice time, a full minute more than he had been averaging, against the Canadiens.

The facial injuries assure that LeClair won't be pain-free for a while, but at least his back has been a non-issue to this point. That goes a long way toward explaining the offensive success he has enjoyed lately and why he seems to be enjoying his work so much.
"I feel as good as I have in a long time, that's for sure," LeClair said. "I'm still working out some of the rust from not playing for a while, but it's getting better. The game's starting to become a lot of fun again."

LeClair is 6 foot 2, 234 pounds, and plays a game built on power, not speed. Nonetheless, he's getting around the ice better than he has in several years, an apparent payoff for surgery he had in May.

"He's skating great," Recchi said. "His balance is much better right now than it was, and that's probably because of the procedure he had."

LeClair spent the early part of the season on one of the Penguins' top two lines, and his personal stats probably would be enhanced if he had a couple of offense-oriented linemates, or at least played with a highly skilled center.

Nonetheless, he has accepted a place alongside Pirjeta and Koltsov, anchoring a unit that can grind down opposing defenses with its size and muscle.

"I enjoy my line," LeClair said. "I think we work hard. We're solid in our own end and create some opportunities in the other end. That's what you want to do. Those two guys work hard. They'll go get the puck. It's been fun playing with those guys."

Recchi predicts that "you'll see LeClair control games down low, especially that line if they stay together for a while," and Olczyk knows exactly what he means. He's watched LeClair do just that, sometimes in an up-close-and-personal way, since LeClair broke into the league with Montreal during the 1990-91 season.

"When I watch tape and I watch him in a game, I'm getting exactly what I expected [after] playing against him and coaching against him," Olczyk said.

That's on the ice. Off it, LeClair might be even more of a presence.
"In the dressing room, you can't get enough of guys like him," Recchi said.
"He's obviously a very good leader, he gets along great with the guys. He accepts everything, understands how to play the game, understands how to win."

And guys like that, even 36-year-old ones with surgically repaired backs, can be a good investment at almost any price.

(Dave Molinari can be reached at 412-263-1144.)