McLeod was at a wedding when he found out Oilers traded him
Ryan McLeod revealed where he was when he found out the Edmonton Oilers had traded him to the Buffalo Sabres last week.
The 24-year-old met with Buffalo media for the first time since the trade this morning, answering questions about his time with the Oilers and how he reacted to learning about the trade.
McLeod said that he had been enjoying some time off since the season ended and was actually at a wedding when he got the call.
“I was kind of just taking some time off, enjoying a little bit of downtown after the season,” McLeod told reporters. “I was actually at my buddy’s wedding. I was taking wedding photos there when I got the call.
“A little whirlwind, you don’t really know what’s going on or anything, but super excited.”
Ryan McLeod is live with the media after being acquired via trade on July 5th. https://t.co/ujjw3qRVWS
— Buffalo Sabres (@BuffaloSabres) July 10, 2024
The writing was on the wall for this type of trade for the Oilers. Though McLeod is a strong defensive player, he lacked the offence needed for him to stay in Edmonton’s top nine during their run to the Stanley Cup Final last season.
McLeod had himself a career-year offensively during the regular season, notching 12 goals and 30 points in 81 games, but he was quiet in the playoffs with just four goals in 24 games. He was a healthy scratch for one playoff game against the Dallas Stars in the Western Conference Final.
With the Oilers bringing back Adam Henrique to be their de-facto third-line centre heading into next season, there was simply not enough room for McLeod in the lineup. The opportunity he will be afforded in Buffalo will be much more than what he could have hoped for with the Oilers.
That being said, McLeod’s stellar defensive metrics will be missed in Edmonton, and the team will have to find a way to compensate for the speed that the former second-round pick brought to their bottom-six on a nightly basis.