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NHL ENTRY DRAFT

June 27, 1998

David Legwand

BUFFALO, NEW YORK

Q. David, you went from just being another first round pick to a historic pick. What does that mean to you?

DAVID LEGWAND: That means a lot. Being in Nashville means a lot to me. It is going to be interesting there. See if you can stay in the lineup next year and it is obviously their first pick and probably going to be a great city and great team to play for.

Q. The fact that you are going to an expansion club, are you anticipating more of an opportunity sooner?

DAVID LEGWAND: Yeah, it is going to be more of an opportunity, a bigger challenge. I have been hearing it's a great team already and Mr. ^ Boil has done a great job acquiring players. I just think it is going to be a great thing to step into.

Q. Did you have any sense leading up to the draft that Nashville was trying to move to take you?

DAVID LEGWAND: No, I didn't. Last night I was thinking, San Jose, San Jose. Five minutes before the draft started, they kind of winked at us and said that I was their pick and we were pretty excited because we know them pretty well and met them a lot and it is going to be interesting.

Q. You talked a little bit about this, David, but what do you think you will have to do to perhaps play on an NHL level next year? Is that possible?

DAVID LEGWAND: It is going to be a lot of hard work this summer, a lot of working out and trying to get on the ice as much as possible and just stay in stride all summer and hopefully I can step in next year and if I don't another year of juniors obviously wouldn't hurt that bad.

Q. You obviously have talent, but I think the thing that sets you a part is your work ethic. Why don't you talk about that and where did you get this work ethic?

DAVID LEGWAND: I just think it is ever since I grew up, I loved skating. I still go out everyday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday with the little kids and help them out. It is stuff I like to do, help out the kids and just like to work out and like to be around the rink a lot.

Q. A lot of things outside of -- during practice that a lot of people don't think of such as shooting the puck from impossible angles, can you tell everybody about some of the practice rituals that you go through?

DAVID LEGWAND: That is just something I do in practice. I go out 15 minutes before everyone and shoot some pucks around and shoot, you know, from the goal line or whatever just try and make it -- it is just something I like to do. I like to get on the ice early and I always stay out there late, so, it is just something I have always done and I always will do.

Q. You mentioned working out with little kids and helping them. Where do you do that and what ages?

DAVID LEGWAND: ^ Gross Point Community Rink. Eight to ten, I think, and it is dynamite thing. It is a little program in ^ Gross Point. I just like helping them out and teaching them how to skate. I think they enjoy it and whenever I am not there, they always asking where I am and right now if they are asking: "I am right here," so.....

Q. I am just curious with that brand new logo on the new sweater there. That is quite a logo. Your thoughts on wearing that?

DAVID LEGWAND: It is a new logo. New jersey, everything new to the League. I think it is an honor to be here though and first pick ever in their history, so something will always be in the back of my head and something to think about.

Q. Another first round pick from the ^ Compu hockey organization and the ^ Whalors, the ^ junior Red Wings and ambassadors, what is your feeling about the organization itself, what has it done for you?

DAVID LEGWAND: It is a great organization. I have been there ever since I was growing up and it is just unbelievable how they run it. The new rink there is unbelievable and the hockey schools in the summer, all the fans we get at the rinks. It is just a great place to play and just a great place to start out playing hockey at.

Q. Last year when you joined the OHL there were a lot of people who weren't quite sure who you were. At what point did you start to get the idea that you were going to be going as high as you did?

DAVID LEGWAND: I think around Christmastime people start paying more attention. I started getting media attention in Detroit - it not that bad and so it is easy and there is no one really there in Detroit. They have got their Red Wings, so we will see what happens down here. I mean hockey is big, country music is big, so we will see what happens.

End of FastScripts...

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