Ryan McLeod is taking the Edmonton Oilers to salary arbitration
Edmonton Oilers forward Ryan Mcleod was one of several players throughout the NHL who chose to file for salary arbitration today.
Though he is overshadowed given that he is a centreman on a team with star-studded talents such as Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, McLeod is a very valuable player to the Oilers. The smooth-skating 23-year-old had a solid second NHL season, scoring 10 goals and 21 points in 55 games. He suited up for an additional 12 playoff outings where he chipped in with five assists.
McLeod found himself in a tough spot last offseason, as he had little rights in a summer where the Oilers had minimal cap space. He held out for some time trying to get the money he felt he deserved but ended up settling on a bargain one-year, $798,000 deal.
The Oilers are once again in cap trouble this summer, but it is clear that McLeod doesn’t want to settle this time around. His party and the Oilers have a bit of time to work out a deal before heading to arbitration, as the hearings are set to occur between July 20 and August 4.
Though McLeod has yet to find his offensive game at the NHL level, his skill is evident to anyone who tunes into Oilers games.Ā The 23-year-old showed that offensive touch during his four-year OHL career, and was selected 40th overall in the 2018 draft as a result.
McLeod is just one of two RFAs the Oilers have left to re-sign, with the other being Evan Bouchard. With Elliotte Friedman’s reporting that Bouchard is expected to sign a two-year deal with an average annual value between $3.5 to $4 million, general manager Ken Holland will be praying that McLeod’s contract will be signed at $1.5 million or less.
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