Report: Flames to sign KHL defenceman Alexander Yelesin


The Calgary Flames will be adding another young player to their large pool of defenceman. The Flames will reportedly sign highly sought after KHL defenceman, Alexander Yelesin. The announcement could be made anytime during the 2019 IIHF World Championship tournament as Yelesin is currently competing for a roster spot with Russia.

Speculation of the signing was addressed during coach Bill Peters media availability after Flames were eliminated from the first round of the postseason. Peters stated that the team would be signing a young depth defenceman from the KHL but he did not confirm the name. Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman would later confirm that Peters was referring to the Lokomotiv defenceman, Yelesin.


Yelesin, 23, had 10 points in 55 games for Lokomotiv this past season. The defenceman is not overly offensive but logs high minutes, is right handed, has a powerful shot and plays a very physical game. Yelesin had previously been linked to the Maple Leafs earlier in the season as GM, Kyle Dubas had personally gone to scout the defenceman. Montreal, Arizona and Ottawa have also been pursing Yelesin.

The Flames are loaded up with defenceman on their roster. Dalton Prout and Oscar Fantenberg are set to become free agents and with top 4 defenceman, T.J. Brodie's play drastically declining in 2019 they will look to add depth to the d-core as moves in the offseason are imminent. Yelesin will bring an edge and bigger physical presence to the Flames back end as the team has been criticized for their lack of heart and toughness in their early exit to Colorado this postseason.

Yelesin has a junkyard dog mentality to his physical game and as shown below, he doesn't care who you are ... don't mess with him.