Player Discussion Ryan Mcleod

[oobga]

I feel like he could fill out to be 220 pounds of pure muscle and he still would be the least physical player on the ice.

Could be true. Sometimes the allergy to contact is in the genes. Definitely will watch how his career goes as time goes on.

 

[Trafalgar Sadge Law]

This player was overhated and way underrated by the fanbase. Yeah he didn't use his size enough but he was still one of the fastest skaters in the league, great in transition, especially carry-in zone entries, and was responsible defensively both at even strength and on the penalty kill. We win in terms of trade value big time IMO. But the fact that he was able to return a top 20 prospect tells you that he's not the bum some of you are making him out to be.

 

[Donner]

He did put up some great underlying numbers.

I have no doubt he'll continue to turn into a really good 3rd liner, who can step into top 6 when need be

Hell be like Beniot Pouliot

 

[MessierII]

I think he’ll be a good fit there honestly. He’s of the age where he’s young enough to grow with them but old enough and seen enough to be a leader for them moving forward.

 

[unicornBLOOD]

I liked Clouder, he wasn't perfect, and left me wanting more in the playoffs, but I do feel he has another level to his game, I hope he reaches it and has nothing but success in Buffalo.

 

[Mr Positive]

I liked McLeod and wanted to keep him. For all his faults he was young and improving. We need a young core to replace the aging core of Hyman, Nuge, Kane, Ekholm, etc

But... Savoie does that too only perhaps better. He is younger and with a higher ceiling. With how we'll Skinner, Bouchard, Holloway and Broberg have done gives me hope that we will eventually see Savoie's potential reached. Some out there are doubting him but all our guys on that list were doubted a lot by our fans

 

[BudBundy]

I’m really going to miss McLoed. I place great value in players with size and speed. I think you win in the playoffs with guys like that. He drove me nuts passing up obvious opportunities to hit and was too soft on the wall in the playoffs. But he was also a huge contributor to an excellent PK, was an excellent shot suppressor, and created room with his speed. I wish him well in Buffalo.

 

[Giggleplex]

Sail on, Highlander.

 

[McFlyingV]

Wish him the best. Never found that next gear to break out of his soft perimeter style which really limited his effectiveness in the playoffs. The hope obviously was for him to become the that shutdown #3C here, but you can't be a shutdown #3C in the playoffs if you don't play gritty and play on the perimeter its just not possible. Lots of good qualities in this player, but if he never breaks that part of his game he was never going to be a contributing piece for this team in the playoffs outside of the PK.

 

[TheNumber4]

This player was overhated and way underrated by the fanbase. Yeah he didn't use his size enough but he was still one of the fastest skaters in the league, great in transition, especially carry-in zone entries, and was responsible defensively both at even strength and on the penalty kill. We win in terms of trade value big time IMO. But the fact that he was able to return a top 20 prospect tells you that he's not the bum some of you are making him out to be.

Agreed. Mcleod is a good player, at a good contract, with speed to burn in a League that is quickly requiring speed to keep up. He had value, this trade shows that.

 

[Oilhawks]

I’m really going to miss McLoed. I place great value in players with size and speed. I think you win in the playoffs with guys like that. He drove me nuts passing up obvious opportunities to hit and was too soft on the wall in the playoffs. But he was also a huge contributor to an excellent PK, was an excellent shot suppressor, and created room with his speed. I wish him well in Buffalo.

Size really only matters if the player uses it. McLeod might as well have been 5'5 with how he played with his size.

 

[Burnt Biscuits]

Size really only matters if the player uses it. McLeod might as well have been 5'5 with how he played with his size.

If he was only 5'5 he likely wouldn't of had the wing-span to be top 3 in the NHL in takeaways per 60 (minimum 20 games played).

 

[Oilhawks]

If he was only 5'5 he likely wouldn't of had the wing-span to be top 3 in the NHL in takeaways per 60 (minimum 20 games played).

I was being facetious. Great that he had the takeaways. My point is that he doesn’t use his size to get into the dirty areas, avoids physicality, etc. He drove to the net a handful of times his entire time here and was rewarded. We’ll see if that changes. It’s great that he’s good at a few things but to paint him anything other than a disappointment and (so far) waste of potential is IMO disingenuous

 

[FunkyChicken]

Writing was on the wall when he bailed on a couple of D zone plays to avoid contact, that led to playoff goals against. Think we will miss his speed in the bottom 6.

 

[Burnt Biscuits]

I was being facetious. Great that he had the takeaways. My point is that he doesn’t use his size to get into the dirty areas, avoids physicality, etc. He drove to the net a handful of times his entire time here and was rewarded. We’ll see if that changes. It’s great that he’s good at a few things but to paint him anything other than a disappointment and (so far) waste of potential is IMO disingenuous

I think this one of the few times we have big divergence in opinion, but yeah I think McLeod is a legitimately good player on a positive multi-year trajectory of improvement, who successfully cut out a niche for himself in a checking role, and who's only real blemish is the most recent playoffs.

This is not akin to a Yakupov, Puljujarvi, or Paajarvi a young player leaving to try and find their game elsewhere, McLeod found his game and is already good at it and seems to get better every season, I don't consider him to be a disappointment in the slightest, that isn't to say I don't take issue with his lack of physicality in specific moments, but the main role of checking is to separate people from pucks and as his takeaway number suggests he can do that without being overly physical.

McLeod as a player has consistently driven possession numbers his goal suppression ability seems to be continually improving and his points per 60 is in that 2nd/3rd line tweener range.

 

[Perfect_Drug]

I Liked Cloud-guy for the most part.


But you gotta like that return even more.

 

[frag2]

Size really only matters if the player uses it. McLeod might as well have been 5'5 with how he played with his size.

Yamo was more physical and he was like a foot shorter lol

That’s how bad McLeod was when it came to physicality.

If GYB wasn’t taking their offseason sabbatical, I reckon Struds and Rishaug would be having a field day with this trade

 

[Oilhawks]

Yamo was more physical and he was like a foot shorter lol

That’s how bad McLeod was when it came to physicality.

If GYB wasn’t taking their offseason sabbatical, I reckon Struds and Rishaug would be having a field day with this trade

Struddy was on Overdrive when the trade happened, Hayes announced the trade around 8:55

 

[Drivesaitl]

I think this one of the few times we have big divergence in opinion, but yeah I think McLeod is a legitimately good player on a positive multi-year trajectory of improvement, who successfully cut out a niche for himself in a checking role, and who's only real blemish is the most recent playoffs.

This is not akin to a Yakupov, Puljujarvi, or Paajarvi a young player leaving to try and find their game elsewhere, McLeod found his game and is already good at it and seems to get better every season, I don't consider him to be a disappointment in the slightest, that isn't to say I don't take issue with his lack of physicality in specific moments, but the main role of checking is to separate people from pucks and as his takeaway number suggests he can do that without being overly physical.

McLeod as a player has consistently driven possession numbers his goal suppression ability seems to be continually improving and his points per 60 is in that 2nd/3rd line tweener range.

Finally a post that does some credit to what McLeod does do for a team. I'll mention as well the player is a lot better at zone entries than most of a lineup. This tends not to get mentioned in Edmonton as we have an elite zone entry club but on other teams McLeod could even be finding spot duty on PP just for his zone entry skills.

In anycase McLeod was arguably our best pk forward along with Nuge and added a lot of pace to this lineup. For this poster anyway, he will be missed.

 

[Broberg Speed]

Finally a post that does some credit to what McLeod does do for a team. I'll mention as well the player is a lot better at zone entries than most of a lineup. This tends not to get mentioned in Edmonton as we have an elite zone entry club but on other teams McLeod could even be finding spot duty on PP just for his zone entry skills.

In anycase McLeod was arguably our best pk forward along with Nuge and added a lot of pace to this lineup. For this poster anyway, he will be missed.

you didn't watch Janmark and Brown very closely

 

[Oilhawks]

Finally a post that does some credit to what McLeod does do for a team. I'll mention as well the player is a lot better at zone entries than most of a lineup. This tends not to get mentioned in Edmonton as we have an elite zone entry club but on other teams McLeod could even be finding spot duty on PP just for his zone entry skills.

In anycase McLeod was arguably our best pk forward along with Nuge and added a lot of pace to this lineup. For this poster anyway, he will be missed.

He is a solid, but flawed player. I was also a fan but was very frustrated with his lack of offensive consistency last year outside a heater on a line with Leon. His defensive game was mostly good but he was prone to making costly mistakes more than a player of his ability should be (the Garland goal against gaffe was one of the only times he was punished for it but it nearly cost him before). Also equally frustrating was how soft he was, especially seeing him produce well the few times he was willing to go to the net.

They will miss his speed but not his softness and lack of offense. I think the PK will be fine without him, I seem to recall it doing well in the games he was scratched in the playoffs

The biggest thing is the future...it's incredibly likely that he would be making more on his next contract here, which is something they could not afford, particularly with McDavid, Draisaitl and Bouchard's renewals looming

 

[Drivesaitl]

He is a solid, but flawed player. I was also a fan but was very frustrated with his lack of offensive consistency last year outside a heater on a line with Leon. His defensive game was mostly good but he was prone to making costly mistakes more than a player of his ability should be (the Garland goal against gaffe was one of the only times he was punished for it but it nearly cost him before). Also equally frustrating was how soft he was, especially seeing him produce well the few times he was willing to go to the net.

They will miss his speed but not his softness and lack of offense. I think the PK will be fine without him, I seem to recall it doing well in the games he was scratched in the playoffs

The biggest thing is the future...it's incredibly likely that he would be making more on his next contract here, which is something they could not afford, particularly with McDavid, Draisaitl and Bouchard's renewals looming

McLeod missed one playoff game. The Oilers got drilled in that game 5-3. There were only 2 PP's for Dallas in that game and one was late where all Dallas did was protect their lead with the 2mins.

The player that the oilers didn't miss on pk when he was scratched multiple games was Connor Brown. The Oilers were better in those games and better on pk. Not a short sample either as Brown was healthy scratched 6 playoff games.

I dunno, I don't buy that McLeod is supposed to be a player that is hard on the boards. With his body type being slender and tall with little weight I don't think he's going to be that player. What he is is a solid North South player with strong defensive play and 200ft responsibility and that is pretty good at zone entries and exits. He's a guy that does enough to stay in the lineup, and he stayed here in a very good lineup, and did lots more here than multiple of the players we retained. Oilers will miss the pace of Mcleod. Combined with Foegele gone I worry about the pace in the roster even more now.

 

[Oilhawks]

McLeod missed one playoff game. The Oilers got drilled in that game 5-3. There were only 2 PP's for Dallas in that game and one was late where all Dallas did was protect their lead with the 2mins.

The player that the oilers didn't miss on pk when he was scratched multiple games was Connor Brown. The Oilers were better in those games and better on pk. Not a short sample either as Brown was healthy scratched 6 playoff games.

I dunno, I don't buy that McLeod is supposed to be a player that is hard on the boards. With his body type being slender and tall with little weight I don't think he's going to be that player. What he is is a solid North South player with strong defensive play and 200ft responsibility and that is pretty good at zone entries and exits. He's a guy that does enough to stay in the lineup, and he stayed here in a very good lineup, and did lots more here than multiple of the players we retained. Oilers will miss the pace of Mcleod. Combined with Foegele gone I worry about the pace in the roster even more now.

Strongly disagree with the bolded. I mean, Brown and Janmark were literally playing the UNO reverse card on the PK with their short handed tally's. It could be argued (easily) that their early shorties put the Panthers on their heels and were some of the biggest reasons the Oilers took it to 7. Also, he was scratched vs LA for 5 of the 6 games, no? He was one of the best players in the Finals and was +4 overall in the playoffs

McLeod doesn't have to be, but if he was going to be a winger (he was not great at C), he absolutely needed to use his size on the boards. Other players of his body type can put on weight, he can stand to put a bit more on. They needed to move on from the player after a mediocre playoffs (and uneven regular season), particularly after the additions / retentions they made to the team. Long-term, they can't afford a player like this and need more value from bottom 6 players.

 

[Drivesaitl]

Strongly disagree with the bolded. I mean, Brown and Janmark were literally playing the UNO reverse card on the PK with their short handed tally's. It could be argued (easily) that their early shorties put the Panthers on their heels and were some of the biggest reasons the Oilers took it to 7. Also, he was scratched vs LA for 5 of the 6 games, no? He was one of the best players in the Finals and was +4 overall in the playoffs

McLeod doesn't have to be, but if he was going to be a winger (he was not great at C), he absolutely needed to use his size on the boards. Other players of his body type can put on weight, he can stand to put a bit more on. They needed to move on from the player after a mediocre playoffs (and uneven regular season), particularly after the additions / retentions they made to the team. Long-term, they can't afford a player like this and need more value from bottom 6 players.

Brown brought it one series. After sewering the whole season. With that I smell a player playing for next contract. will need more than one series for this player to sway me. As much as I like Janmark he had a strong finals but his regular season outside of pk was kind of meh.

I don't buy that with Brown it was all just injuries holding him back. From his own accounts it was also him corkscrewing himself into the ice half the season. No guarantee that won't occur again.

My sense is Brown showed up at the biggest time and while that can be seen as a huge plus the same player was a passenger 90% of the season. I look at that too.

 

[Oilhawks]

Brown brought it one series. After sewering the whole season. With that I smell a player playing for next contract. will need more than one series for this player to sway me. As much as I like Janmark he had a strong finals but his regular season outside of pk was kind of meh.

I don't buy that with Brown it was all just injuries holding him back. From his own accounts it was also him corkscrewing himself into the ice half the season. No guarantee that won't occur again.

My sense is Brown showed up at the biggest time and while that can be seen as a huge plus the same player was a passenger 90% of the season. I look at that too.

This team is at the point where they need to actively seek out / retain the ever so elusive playoff performers. It isn't the first playoffs that Janmark has had a palpable impact on. One other example being his memorable hat trick for Vegas in game 7. And if Brown was playing for a contract, it seems strange that he took the $1M to stay here, as it is an absolute certainty he would have gotten more on the open market. The player has come on since healing up from the injury, which isn't a shock

Even if he has a slow start or is uneven during the season, that's quite alright as they have the horses elsewhere and he's being paid nearly league minimum. McLeod's $2.1 carried the expectation to produce, and outside of getting zoomed by Draisaitl (you can't deny that), his offensive production was entirely lackluster.

McLeod was a passenger much of the season, and playoffs, and he also nearly gave away game 7 vs the Canucks in a game that the Oilers had complete control over. Someone else posted that was the moment he was done here, I wouldn't be surprised if that is when Knoblauch and Jackson decided they wanted to move on

There's a chance he carries on and does well in Buffalo, but they couldn't afford him here for what they were getting out of him.