NHL Draft Prospect Profile: Michael McLeod

Get to Know: Michael McLeod

Date of Birth: February 3rd, 1998 (18)
Place of Birth: Mississauga, Ontario
Ht: 6′-2″ Wt: 185 lbs
Shoots: Right
Position: Center
Team (League): Mississauga Steelheads (OHL)

Statistics

What Scouts See

Sportsnet, Gare Joyce 

With his hockey sense and gritty game, McLeod evokes a player along the lines of Ryan O’Reilly, albeit with more dynamic skating at the same age. Said one scout: “You have to like McLeod’s drive and skating. He gives you the same effort every time.”

Future Considerations:

“Low-risk, high-reward pick right here. McLeod was a leader on a young Steelheads team, plays a well-rounded game at both ends of the rink and will go anywhere to make something happen. Not shy to take the puck to the net and cut to the slot for a better lane.”

What BSN Avalanche sees

Good vision, great speed. He’s not afraid to drive into the corners or to the net, although his linemate, Nathan Bastian, does the bulk of the dirty work.  Often seems to be in the right place at the right time, and turnovers are rare for him.

The puck does seem to get away from him occasionally.  He’s making good decisions and seeing the right plays, but his hands aren’t always on the same page as his brain.   For example, he’ll try bouncing the puck off the boards to try to get around a defenseman but send it just a bit too far for his reach.

Highlights

NHL Potential

If your goal is to get someone that will play in the NHL, McLeod is a safe choice. Unless his development completely derails, his speed, leadership, and defensive game will make him at worst a completive third-line center.

However, the question becomes his offensive upside. His shot at the moment isn’t great, and he gets tunnel vision on the rush. It’s possible that he puts it all together eventually – his points/game were fairly equivalent to Ryan O’Reilly’s during his draft year – but assuming he’ll become an offensive threat at the next level is a gamble. 50 pts per season is probably reasonable; anything more would be a surprise.

Expected Draft Position

McLeod seems to be a hard prospect to get a read on. Currently, he’s ranked everywhere from 7th to 20th Overall by the experts. I would imagine that he ends up falling right around 15th Overall to a team looking to make a safe pick with moderate offensive upside.

How Prospect Fits in Avalanche Organization

I would be surprised if the Avs haven’t interviewed and are seriously considering McLeod, even if it involves moving down a few spots. He’s a good skater with decent size, responsible on both ends of the ice, and has a high compete level. After the O’Reilly fiasco and Connor Bleackley flaming out, this is a type of player that the organization needs.

Is he worth the 10th Overall pick? Probably not, considering the other names that are still likely to be on the board. But there’s little doubt that he’d find a home in both Roy’s system and with the core of players the Avs have built over the years.