No 4C in the league is getting 16 minutes of icetime. That's 3C deployment. Your whole thing is Evans put up 28 points from the 4th line, and that's just not the case.
His most common linemates last year were Gallagher and Anderson, who according to Habs fans don't suck and have value and leadership and grittiness so... yeah. McLeod got a mixed bag of guys like Foegele, Perry, Ryan, Janmark, Holloway, and the odd shift on LW with Leon.
27/28 is a finished product. he's not developing anymore. McLeod, as a 24 year old 3C on a Cup finalist at the time Buffalo traded for him, still had upside to be more than he is - and is *actually* elite defensively. McLeod's problem is he can't finish.
There's a vast gulf of difference between playing 3C on one of the best teams in the league and playing 3C on a team that can't even crack 80 points.