The Kings drafted Zac Leslie in the 6th round of the 2013 draft. Here’s what he’s done before and since:
Ranked at #25 last year, Leslie used his solid work ethic and puck-moving skills to jump 8 spots to #17 on this year’s list. He performed admirably at development camp last year, but couldn’t crack the Monarchs roster and returned to Guelph for a fourth straight season. Playing against OHL competition while being one year older led some to feel Leslie was primed for a third big step forward following successful 2012-2013 and 2013-2014 campaign. But while he didn’t regress, his 57-game, 48-point season wasn’t a huge improvement over the 50 points he put up in 60 games the previous season. A shoulder injury in March ended Leslie’s season prematurely.
So what should we expect from Leslie this season? Well, I don’t really know because hockey is a crapshoot. And frankly, this is the 17th-ranked player under the age of 25 in an organization that doesn’t have a lot of good players under the age of 25 (who aren’t already on the NHL roster). But here’s what we do know: Leslie has, by most accounts, above-average speed and can shoot a little. He’s an offensive-minded defenseman who L.A. brass feels has a good head on his shoulders and can become a play-making, puck-advancing blueliner. (This is where I should make a lazy Alec Martinez comparison, but I won’t…but I just did.)
Right now, Leslie’s to-do list is pretty short:
- Recover successfully from offseason shoulder surgery.
- Make the Ontario Reign squad.
If those two things happen this year (which is far from a lock given the abundance of decent defensemen likely to be jamming up the Reign roster), Leslie will have the opportunity to take another step forward and show us a little bit more of what he’s got. Until then, he’ll have to settle for number 17.