No job too small for Sheffield Steelers’ legend Jeff Legue

Jeff Legue used to be the League’s top gun who frequently lit up the scoreboard and pioneered some of Steelers’ greatest victories.
Jeff Legue - Sheffield Steelers v Nottingham Panthers 26/12/15Jeff Legue - Sheffield Steelers v Nottingham Panthers 26/12/15
Jeff Legue - Sheffield Steelers v Nottingham Panthers 26/12/15

Now he may no longer the team super-star ...but that’s exactly how he likes it.

At 34, the Canadian forward is more than willing to sacrifice his personal profile in return for two points and a trophy haul for his Sheffield team.

Jeff Legue - Sheffield Steelers v Nottingham Panthers 26/12/15Jeff Legue - Sheffield Steelers v Nottingham Panthers 26/12/15
Jeff Legue - Sheffield Steelers v Nottingham Panthers 26/12/15
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Legue, in his ninth season as a Steeler, has had a number of roles this season, his first under coach Paul Thompson.

Now his primary role is to nullify those who are regarded as Elite League modern day stars.

Asked about his changing game-persona, he said: “I am in a different role, we have a lot of great hockey players on this team and I am getting a bit older but I am doing my part as best I can.

“I am trying not to get scored on and hopefully contributing at the other end” he said.

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“I like being in the background. As much as it doesn’t seem it, I like the background!

“I do my job and as long and as long as we are winning....”

He defined his role - and that of his linemates - as: “We play against their top lines every night and as long as we shut that line down and come out positive at the end of the night we are doing our job.

“It is not glamorous but somebody has to do it.”

Legue, whose team won and lost against Nottingham last weekend, believes the team has made big strides to becoming a more complete unit over the past few weeks, despite the odd hiccup. He expressed the importance in grinding out wins and doggedly guarding their net when they have to. He thinks the team cam come out of the defensive zone, a little more crisply. “We seem to be flipping it out a lot but that will come with timing.

“We’ve had four lines and three centremen so a lot of guys are playing with different players on every shift.

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“So we have to get in the frame of mind to take everything easy and making the easy play.

“It is a tough stretch we are coming into now, a lot of games in little days, I think we are in the right frame of mind.”

Legue was a supporter of the coach Thompson’s decision to award Mark Pinc the goaltending slot.

“It was a tough decision for Paul. He (Pinc) has played very well these past two or three weeks. He has been someone who has kept us in it. It was the right decision and we move forward.”