The Los Angeles Kings have completed their first ever trade with the Vegas Golden Knights, sending minor league defenseman Zac Leslie in exchange for future considerations.
A sixth-round pick of the Kings in 2013 in his second year of eligibility, Leslie has spent the last three seasons in the minor leagues with the Kings organization, not yet getting a chance in the NHL. The 24-year old played four years for the Guelph Storm of the OHL, showing off his quick puck-moving skills and being a big part of the 2014 team that were OHL champions. Since then, he’s progressed slowly through the minors, even spending some time in the ECHL.
Leslie signed a one-year contract with the Kings in the offseason, meaning he’ll be a restricted free agent this summer for the Golden Knights. While Vegas has had a lot of success in the NHL, building a minor league pipeline is still a work in progress. Next season, when the St. Louis Blues are no longer sending players to the Chicago Wolves the Golden Knights will have to fill out the ranks themselves, and try to continue the team’s strong play.
This year, the Wolves are sitting at 24-15-8 and in good shape for the playoffs, but have had trouble getting much offense from their blueline. Jason Garrison leads the way with 19 points, but isn’t even on the roster currently. Shea Theodore’s 11 points in 8 games actually still ranks fourth on the team among defensemen, something that hopefully Leslie can change if given the opportunity.