Season at a glance
Acquired last July 5 after three seasons playing behind Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl in Edmonton, McLeod did it all – and proved his top-six abilities – during his first season with the Sabres.
He scored. Twenty goals and 33 assists shattered McLeod’s previous career highs (12+18) from 2023-24, and those 53 points tied Jason Zucker for fifth on the Sabres. The production came in bunches, including five games with three or more points – one of which, Jan. 15 versus Carolina, saw McLeod net his first career hat trick. And from Jan. 9-on, he accumulated 35 points in 38 games.
He killed penalties. Typically manning the first unit alongside Alex Tuch, McLeod ranked 12th in the NHL with 182:59 of total shorthanded ice time and scored three shorthanded goals. He and Tuch (6 SHG) frequently turned power-play mistakes into odd-man rushes the other way.
He won faceoffs. McLeod’s 52.3-percent win rate at the dot led the Sabres, and his success on offensive-zone draws (57.1 percent) and shorthanded ones (50.0 percent) ranked highly leaguewide.
Most importantly, he fit. From an early-season third line with Jason Zucker and Jordan Greenway, to a successful first-line stint with Thompson, to April’s second-line role between JJ Peterka and Jack Quinn, McLeod prided himself on his versatility and seemed to bring out the best of nearly any linemates.
