Sabres (F) Ryan McLeod - thehockeywriters.substack.com
The Buffalo Sabres have a huge goal of ending their 13-year playoff drought.
GM Kevyn Adams’s building through the draft philosophy has helped the club achieve its goal of having one of the league’s youngest rosters while also helping the Sabres compete.
How the Sabres Acquired McLeod
The Sabres entered the Summer’s free agency period with an abundance of young prospects and draft picks.
The team felt that adding a low-cost veteran at the center position would immediately help the Sabres’ third-line center.
With young prospect Matt Savoie poised to make the Sabres roster, Adams felt they already had enough wing prospects, and Savoie was the weakest link.
On the other hand, McLeod was coming off a year with the Edmonton Oilers in which the squad began 2-9-1 and finished the season one win away from defeating the Florida Panthers in the Stanley Cup finals.
Both teams felt they had to make a move, so the Sabres and Oilers became perfect trading partners.
The Oilers dealt Savoie, and the Sabres received Tyler Tullio and McLeod in return.
This has been an excellent trade for the Sabres so far. The 25-year-old forward has five goals and 11 points in 17 games played.
Additionally, he has brought a veteran presence and toughness to the center position.
How McLeod Has Made His Linemates Better
While McLeod is only one player on this Sabres team, he has undoubtedly made a positive impact on his linemates.
The former Oiler, Jason Zucker, and Jordan Greenway have been a welcomed line on the ice.
Both guys have helped McLeod succeed.
For example, Greenway lets McLeod skate with more parts of the ice open, while Zucker’s ability helps to finish off physical checks.
Nevertheless, McLeod’s centering the middle of Greenway and Zucker will continue to allow him to improve and make great plays at both ends of the ice.
McLeod Can Defend Helping the Sabres Compete
Since being placed in the center-six position, McLeod has had to sharpen his defensive abilities and has taken to the role successfully.
He has gone from a work-in-progress center to a lockdown defensive forward, contributing to the Sabres’ early-season success.
McLeod has been the face-off specialist for head coach Lindy Ruff’s club and records a +6, tops in plus/minus ratings.
Ruff has been so impressed with McLeod’s uprising that he now considers him his “main guy” and wants to give him more ice time with the puck in his stick.
Sabres Need to Keep McLeod
McLeod’s contract will expire at the end of the season. The speedy forward will become a restricted free agent.
The Sabres’ must step up and capitalize on securing an extension to keep the talented forward immediately.
While the team lacks transitional players, McLeod continues to show that he has what it takes with his speed to bring it to either end of the ice.
They have seen his ice time increase.
Coach Ruff will earn players more ice time while benching players who haven’t been held accountable.
Nevertheless, if key contributors like Dylan Cozens and Jack Quinn continue to struggle, Ruff may pull the keys from them and give them to McLeod.
Keep in mind that Don Granato was a good coach, but Ruff was hired to hold a young but talented team accountable, and he knows the buck starts with McLeod in helping the Sabres compete.
