In response to trade talk picking up in Edmonton regarding forward Ryan McLeod, opinions are mixed. McLeod is on a terrible dry spell, not having scored in 38 games. There’s frustration growing amongst the fan base considering he’s fast and skilled, but often refuses to engage or go into the hard areas of the ice to score goals. He needs to get one and sometimes that involves a greasy goal.
As @Woodguy55 points out on Twitter — very popular Oilers account that looks deeper at the underlying numbers –, it’s important to consider the following when talking about McLeod and what he brings. First, last season, he demonstrated a solid scoring rate of 1.86 points per 60 minutes at 5v5, a figure that tied him for 142nd among forwards. He consistently outplayed and outscored the opposition, including elite forwards and without much high-end support. Second, this year, he faced an early injury and missed preseason games.
In the current season, McLeod continues to outplay the opposition, but his line is hindered by a collective shooting percentage of just 1.5%. So, while he’s excelling in terms of shot share and the flow of play, the goals aren’t coming in yet.
It’s crucial to recognize that this player, who previously outperformed as a third-line center at 23, scoring at a second-line rate, began the year with an injury. Despite this setback, he maintains a positive shot share and play flow, with the only missing element being the conversion of opportunities into goals.
The question arises: Do you give up on this player? The resounding answer is no.
Why All the Talk About Trading McLeod?
As Jason Gregor of Sports 1440 explains, “Talk of trading him is ridiculous.” He adds, “It is fair to say he needs to finish more, and mainly hit the net more. But trading him wouldn’t be ideal as I don’t see getting a similar return.”
The problem for McLeod is patience. Meaning, Oilers fans don’t have it. The team has struggled out of the gate this season and while things seem to be turning around, when the going is bad, the fingers get pointed. McLeod has taken a lot of heat for not producing and in fairness, his production is needed. Because the Oilers have next-to-no cap room to do anything, people are going to call for a change. They’ll argue to get someone on the roster who can deliver as the team needs production.
What’s most frustrating about McLeod might be his unwillingness to change up his game to get from Point A to Point B. There’s an argument that things will eventually turn for him, but if he’s not willing to crash and bang and pot a dirty one from time to time, he could keep spinning his wheels. In the process, people will grow more and more frustrated.
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