ALBANY -- When he last called Albany home, Pierre-Luc Letourneau-Leblond made his presence known. As a rookie for the 2005-06 Albany River Rats, in their final season as a New Jersey Devils affiliate, Letourneau-Leblond played 27 games and rang up 130 penalty minutes.
Move the clock ahead four years. The Albany Devils are now the area's American Hockey League team, and Letourneau-Leblond, 25, is back, having been assigned here by New Jersey on Tuesday.
"It was a fun time to be here," he said of his rookie year. "Robbie Ftorek was the coach. We worked hard to make it to the next level. It definitely was a positive experience."
Since that time, Letourneau-Leblond has gained a reputation longer than his name.
He has played 37 NHL games (91 penalty minutes) and 128 in the AHL (462 PIM). He worked his way through the ECHL (58 games/229 PIM), where he played for current Albany coach Rick Kowalsky, and the UHL (31/165), as a member of the Glens Falls-based Adirondack Frostbite.
"He's a legit heavyweight tough guy," Kowalsky said. "He definitely brings a presence up front. He's proven himself. I had him at the ECHL level four years ago, and he slowly established himself and by the end of the year just tore through the league from a toughness standpoint and worked his way right up."
Letourneau-Leblond, a seventh-round 2004 draft choice (216th overall) out of Levis, Quebec, doesn't have much to prove here. Through five pro seasons, most opponents know the grit and toughness he brings.
Whether someone will test that reputation remains to be seen.
"I'll tell you after the first few games," he said. "Last year I was sent down and really didn't get in a fight after two weeks. I know there are some big guys down here, some guys who want to prove themselves by fighting an established guy like me. It's probably going to be some guys doing that."
Letourneau-Leblond was sent down after getting an automatic one-game NHL suspension Saturday for instigating a fight in the last five minutes. "It was a bad decision by me to grab a guy," he explained.
He said he isn't looking for fights but knows he has to be ready if the situation warrants.
The Devils want Letourneau-Leblond to carry his weight on the ice and in the locker room.
"He's down here, and he's got to continue to do what he does," Kowalsky said. "From a presence standpoint, he's going to definitely bring us that, whether he's fighting or not, just in the lineup."
Pete Dougherty can be reached at 454-5416 or by e-mail at pdougherty@timesunion.com Visit the hockey blog at http://blog.timesunion.com/hockey.
River Rats vs. Hartford
When: 7 p.m. Friday
Where: Times Union Center
Radio: Internet only (http://ahllive.com)
