PuckSleuth
71Cap hit
$5M
4.8% of $104M cap
Term
3 yrs
Through 2028-29, then UFA
Clause
M-NTC
5-team no-trade list
Surplus value
+$1.789M
vs. $6.789M market estimate
Confirmed by the public signing announcement · source
2026-27 regular season
GP
1
Goals
0
Assists
1
1 primary
Points
1
1.00 per game
TOI/GP
16:41
PP 1:51 · PK 1:48
xGF%
24.6
5v5, -28.4 vs. last yr
Game Score
+0.74
per game
Faceoff %
—
6 W · 9 L
Plus/minus
0
Blocks 0 · Hits 0
Game log
Last 5 games · NHL API
| Game | G | A | SOG | HIT | BLK | TOI | PP | PK | FO | OZS% | GV | TK | +/- | GS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 1 @ CBJ · L 6-3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16:41 | 1:51 | 1:48 | 6-9 | 33 | 1 | 0 | 0 | +0.74 |
| May 18 vs MTL · OTL 3-2 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 20:39 | 0:44 | 0:36 | 11-5 | 83 | 1 | 1 | +1 | +0.93 |
| May 16 @ MTL · W 8-3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 21:56 | 1:54 | 2:30 | 11-7 | 57 | 1 | 0 | 0 | +1.03 |
| May 14 vs MTL · L 6-3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 13:23 | 1:02 | 0:10 | 9-3 | 33 | 1 | 0 | 0 | +0.14 |
| May 12 @ MTL · W 3-2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 9:35 | 0:54 | 4:20 | 6-4 | 50 | 0 | 1 | -1 | -0.03 |
GS = our Game Score (credit for everything he did; goals and assists count most). FO = faceoffs won-lost. OZS% = share of his 5v5 offensive and defensive zone faceoff starts that were in the offensive zone. GV/TK = giveaways/takeaways.
Advanced metrics
5v5 unless noted · 2025-26 · 1,005 min · percentile vs. NHL forwards
75th percentile
75th percentile
59th percentile
60th percentile
65th percentile
59th percentile
81st percentile
67th percentile
41st percentile
36th percentile
64th percentile
21st percentile
87th percentile
33rd percentile
xGF% is his team's share of 5v5 expected goals while he was on the ice, from our own expected goals model; HDCF% counts only high-danger chances (xG of 0.15 or more). IPP is the share of his team's 5v5 goals while he was on the ice that he scored or assisted on. Relative stats compare him with his team when he was off the ice. Goals above expected and ixG/60 use his own shots at all strengths. PDO and OZS% describe luck and deployment, so their bars are grey.
Play styleSpeed playmaking center
Trait percentiles vs. NHL centers · 2025-26
McLeod is an elite skater who creates chances for others at a high rate, making him invaluable in transition. He struggles with the physical side of the game and lacks a strong defensive presence, limiting his all-around impact.
- Shooting volume
- 7
- Playmaking
- 91
- Zone entries(est.)
- 53
- Forechecking
- 0
- Physicality
- 2
- Defensive impact
- 23
- Puck management
- 20
- Speed
- 93
Where he shoots from
Slot 40% · Mid-range 43% · Perimeter 17%(139 unblocked shots)
Strengths
- Elite speed at 93rd percentile gets him into playmaking position constantly
- 91st percentile playmaking creates high volume of assists for linemates
- 53% expected goal share shows he maintains favorable puck possession
Watch-outs
- 0th percentile forechecking means minimal pressure on opposing defensemen
- 20th percentile puck management leads to turnovers near midfield
- 2nd percentile physicality leaves him dominated in board battles
Similar style: Calum Ritchie (NYI), Robert Thomas (STL)
Built from play-by-play, shift data, and NHL EDGE tracking. Zone entries is an estimate (rush chances while he is on the ice) until tracking data is added.
Where his Game Score comes from
2025-26 · 81 GP
Season total +45.4, or +0.56 per game.
- Scoring
- +39.2
- Shooting
- +6.8
- 5-on-5 goals
- +2.3
- Defense
- -0.6
- Penalty kill
- -0.4
- Physical play
- +2.0
- Puck battles
- -3.0
- Penalties
- -0.2
- Faceoffs
- -0.6
Game Score gives credit for everything a player does in a game. Goals (1.0) and assists (0.7 primary, 0.5 secondary) count most; shots, blocks, hits, takeaways, penalties drawn, faceoff wins, killing penalties, and holding down the other team's chances add to it. Only mistakes subtract: goals against at 5-on-5, giveaways, penalties taken, faceoff losses, and allowing more chances than an average player would. A player who is there to defend or kill penalties is not marked down for not scoring. Goalies are measured by goals saved above expected.
Career stats
From the NHL's player records
| Season | Team | GP | G | A | P | +/- | PIM | PPG | PPP | SHG | GWG | SOG | S% | TOI | FO% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-21 | Edmonton Oilers | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0.0 | 10:17 | 40.0 |
| 2021-22 | Edmonton Oilers | 16 | 3 | 1 | 4 | -4 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 30 | 10.0 | 14:33 | 44.9 |
| 2022-23 | Edmonton Oilers | 12 | 0 | 5 | 5 | -1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 0.0 | 14:36 | 54.7 |
| 2023-24 | Edmonton Oilers | 24 | 4 | 0 | 4 | -7 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 26 | 15.4 | 13:12 | 52.0 |
| 2025-26 | Buffalo Sabres | 13 | 1 | 4 | 5 | -7 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 5.9 | 17:00 | 50.7 |
| Career | 5 seasons | 69 | 8 | 10 | 18 | -20 | 28 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 86 | 9.3 | 14:18 | — |
Seasons traded mid-year show one row per team.
Usage
Last game: @ CBJ, Oct 1
Line 3 with Peyton Krebs and Konsta Helenius (10:05 together at 5-on-5) · PP2
From the NHL's shift chart.
Latest news
Headlines from news outlets and team blogs
- Sabres Cannonballed by Columbus, Fall 6-3
diebytheblade.com · Oct 2
- Expected Buffalo Post Game Show - Preseason Game 2
spreaker.com · Sep 23
Sentiment & chatter
Fans
—
Beat writers
—
Media
—
Fan, beat writer, and media scores, the 14-day trade chatter chart, and the latest mentions appear once sentiment scoring is switched on. Mentions are already being collected.
Recent Game Scores
Last 10 games · goals above average
Average +0.36 per game over these 10.
Skating · NHL EDGE
2025-26, as of Oct 2
- Top speed
- 23.2 mph
- 90th pct
- 20+ mph bursts
- 316
- Hardest shot
- 86.0 mph
- 56th pct
- Distance
- 261.7 mi
- OZ time
- 40.4%
- 26th pct
- DZ time
- 41.7%
Age curve
NHL forwards · production index
At 27, forwards typically produce 96% of their peak (age 24). His contract runs through age 29, when the typical level is 89%.
From 24 seasons of NHL results, adjusted for league scoring and save percentage in each era. Shaded bars are the seasons left on his contract.
Contract by season
3 seasons left
| Season | Team | Cap hit | % of cap |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 | BUF | $5M | 4.8% |
| 2027-28 | BUF | $5M | 4.4% |
| 2028-29 | BUF | $5M | — |
UFA after 2028-29. M-NTC (5-team list). $15M in cap hits left. % of cap uses each season's ceiling where the league has set one ($104M this season, $113.5M in 2027-28).