Flames sign Zac Leslie, Jeremy McKenna and Alex Gallant to AHL deals

Coming off their annual development camp, the Calgary Flames have added to their organizational depth. The organization has signed blueliner Zac Leslie and forwards Jeremy McKenna and Alex Gallant to American Hockey League contracts.

Leslie, 25, was drafted by the Los Angeles Kings back in 2013. He spent his entry level years primarily with the Kings’ AHL affiliate, the Ontario Reign, then joined the Vegas Golden Knights’ AHL squad in Chicago for two seasons. He’s not a massive offensive threat, but he’s a responsible two-way defender and should be good depth for Stockton.

McKenna, 20, has a pretty fascinating story. Born in Canmore, his family eventually moved to Prince Edward Island and he made the jump to the QMJHL after a stint playing in Austria (where he was teammates with Martin Pospisil). Not a huge player by any stretch, he’s put up impressive offensive totals with the Moncton Wildcats (where he was teammates with Jakob Pelletier) and will likely add some right wing depth for the Heat. He was fifth in QMJHL scoring in 2018-19 and goes pro rather than sticking around that league as an overager.

Gallant, 26, is another PEI product. Undrafted and a veteran of all of 32 games of major junior, he’s made his way in pro hockey the tough way: by being a tough guy. He spent 2017-18 on a contract with Tampa Bay and 2018-19 with Vegas, but spent both contracts in the minors. He’s a veteran of 141 AHL games, where he’s amassed eight points and 544 penalty minutes. He won’t be a regular presence in the Stockton line-up, but he could be useful depth and a mentor for some of the youngsters.

These are incredibly low-risk signings, even if the upside for Gallant seems a bit low.