The New Jersey Devils have agreed terms to a contract extension with former first-round pick Michael McLeod. He is locked in for next year and will have an AAV of $1.4 million.
McLeod Re-ups with the New Jersey Devils
The Michael McLeod contract makes sense for the club. McLeod put together another solid year manning the Devils fourth-line center duties. He scored four goals and had 22 assists for 26 points in 80 games. His points, assists, and games played were all career highs in his fifth NHL season. McLeod also ranked third in the NHL in faceoff win percentage amongst qualified players.
Over his career, McLeod has played in 242 games and has registered 66 points. He was taken by the Devils in the first round, 16th overall in the 2016 NHL Draft. Despite his high draft selection, McLeod has primarily played fourth-line minutes but has grown into an important piece of the Devils bottom six and penalty kill.
McLeod Has Found a Role in New Jersey
Over the past two seasons, McLeod has carved out an integral role in the Devils lineup. He has become a reliable presence on the fourth line due to his size and speed and is relied upon heavily on the penalty kill and to take key faceoffs. McLeod’s offence never transitioned from his time in Mississauga, but his biggest asset, which was his speed, has. He began his first two pro seasons bouncing back and forth between the NHL and the AHL, only registering five assists in just 33 games. However, over the past three seasons, he has continued to develop into a steady defensive presence as the Devils fourth line center. McLeod is most well known for making up one-third of the “BMW” line which consisted of [Nathan] Bastian, himself, and [Miles] Wood.
In 2022-23, McLeod stood out as the team’s best penalty killer and amongst the league’s best faceoff men. McLeod also shone during the postseason, where he put up six points in 12 games. This was highlighted by his GWG in Game Seven against the New York Rangers in the first round. McLeod was used a lot by Head Coach Lindy Ruff, and this extension shows the organization’s belief that he will continue to be an important bottom-six player for this organization as they look to make a Stanley Cup run.
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