"You've gotta sacrifice a bit": McLeod talks about taking a discount on Oilers contract
Edmonton Oilers forward Ryan McLeod seems relieved to have a new contract in place for the next two years.
Despite being set to have an arbitration hearing on August 4, McLeod admitted that he was happy to get the deal done before reaching that point, as arbitration hearings can, at times, result in tension between the player and team.
“I don’t think any player wants to go through arbitration. I don’t think it’s fun for the player or the team,” McLeod said. “Happy to get it done before that and looking forward to the season now.”
Ultimately, the two sides were able to agree to a two-year, $4.2 million deal that will carry an AAV of $2.1 million. There had been speculation that McLeod could have gotten more, though the 23-year-old made it clear that sometimes players need to take less than they are worth for their team to succeed.
“I think coming back to this group, there’s not a lot of money, but I think on most the teams that are hopefully looking to make a deep push in the playoffs there’s not a lot of money on a bunch of those teams,” McLeod said. “I think you’ve kind of got to sacrifice a bit for the group. If you sacrifice a bit and we win a Cup, I think it all plays out. This team’s looking to have a huge year and I think winning gets everyone paid, and it makes everyone happier.”
McLeod will likely begin the season as the Oilers’ third-line centreman, though who plays on his wings remains to be seen. In 57 games last season, McLeod scored 11 goals and 23 points, while chipping in with five assists in 12 playoff outings. He is one of several young players on this Oilers roster that the coaching staff is hoping can make a big step this next season.
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