On July 5, the Buffalo Sabres made a splash when they sent their former top prospect Matt Savoie to the Edmonton Oilers in exchange for Tyler Tullio and Ryan McLeod. When the trade itself happened, there were some mixed reactions, but generally many praised general manager Kevyn Adams for making use of the assets at his disposal to acquire a solid NHL-caliber player to improve the roster now. I will admit that I had some reservations about the value of the swap, as Savoie is still a very good prospect, but after seeing McLeod in action with the Sabres, he has been even more than was advertised.
McLeod’s Offense Is Rolling
Throughout his career, McLeod has been a solid third-line presence that plays with speed, and some good defensive awareness. He has never really been known for his offensive capabilities, but they have always been respectable. His career highs came last season with the Oilers when he scored 12 goals and 18 assists, for a total of 30 points in 81 games, but now as he has a heightened role with the Sabres, his offensive numbers are jumping. While he does technically sit in the same third-line center role, his ice time has increased by an average of over a minute, and he is making the most of that time as he has scored four goals and four assists in 13 games this season.
McLeod has been a noticeable player whenever he steps on the ice, and he flies everywhere. He has had the advantage of having some very solid linemates in Jason Zucker and Jordan Greenway, who have both played exceptionally well themselves, and that has only allowed McLeod to thrive. Greenway’s presence allows McLeod to skate around with some more free space, and the playmaking capabilities, combined with the finishing abilities of Zucker have allowed his point totals to go up. The chemistry flowing between those three has been exciting to watch, and having McLeod at the center of them to lock down plays at both ends of the ice is what will keep them thriving.
McLeod’s Defensive Efforts Are Outstanding
Being in a middle-six role has allowed McLeod to learn the defensive side of the game very well, and he is arguably one of the Sabres’ best defensive forwards. Not only is he their top face-off performer on the season, but he leads the team in plus/minus with a plus-6 as well. His ability to win draws and make plays happen in either zone has been a noticeable asset for head coach Lindy Ruff, and it has made McLeod the “go-to” man for pressure situations and important face-offs. He has been a great performer at 5-on-5 with his possession game, and it has also translated to his skills on the penalty kill.
McLeod usually finds himself out on the penalty kill with Greenway as the Sabres’ top forward unit in that scenario, and his positioning, along with his ability to pressure players due to his speed are both things that have kept opposing power plays at bay this season. The Sabres as a whole have not been stellar while down a man, but while McLeod has been on the ice, they look noticeably more refined and able to keep up with the opposition. With how explosive he is with his speed, do not be shocked to see him score multiple shorthanded goals by season’s end.
McLeod Is Just What the Sabres Needed
As McLeod continues to grow his game, he will likely become one of the Sabres’ best transition forwards that they have at their disposal. This is something that they have lacked for some time now, as most of their roster has been fairly one-dimensional and only dipped into the offensive or defensive side of the puck. As a player that can use his best asset (his speed) to make a difference at either end of the ice, he has a lot to offer them in the long term. His contract expires at the end of this season and he is set to become a restricted free agent, so the Sabres need to take advantage of that and lock him up to a decent extension sooner rather than later.
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While it was a tough pill to swallow in letting Savoie go, McLeod has been just what the doctor ordered when it comes to value and performance. The Sabres needed help in every aspect of the game from last season going into this season, and McLeod has fit the bill, along with still being young enough to fit into this core group of players seamlessly. Going forward, he has the opportunity to keep up his success, and with the declining numbers of players like Dylan Cozens and Jack Quinn, he is only going to have more chances to get ice time.
