The New Jersey Devils announced today that the team re-signed forward Michael McLeod to a one-year contract worth $1,400,000. The announcement was made by Executive Vice President/General Manager Tom Fitzgerald.
McLeod, 25, completed his fifth NHL season with New Jersey and recorded a career-high 26 points (4g-22a) in 80 games played. The 6-foot-2, 190lbs. forward also earned a career-high +6 plus/minus rating and recorded a career-best face-off percentage at 60.6%. McLeod's face-off percentage ranked third in the NHL behind Chicago's Jonathan Toews (63.1%) and Boston's Patrice Bergeron (61.1%). His 587 face-off wins ranked second on New Jersey behind Nico Hischier (891), while McLeod's 512 defensive zone face-off wins led the Devils.
The right-handed shot's 127 hits also led New Jersey in the regular season and his three fighting majors were tied for the most on the team (N. Bastian & B. Smith). McLeod's 12 fighting majors since his rookie season in 2018-19 leads all New Jersey skaters since that time. In 242 career regular-season NHL games over five seasons with New Jersey, McLeod has 66 points (19g-47a) with 154 penalty minutes.
McLeod was one of eight Devils who appeared in their first career Stanley Cup Playoffs this past season. In 12 games he scored six points (2g-4a) with 15 penalty minutes. McLeod's point total ranked fifth on the squad and his assist total was fourth. He earned his first career postseason goal, which was a shorthanded, game-winning tally in Game 7, Round 1, against the NY Rangers. The forward became one of four skaters in franchise history whose first career playoff goal was shorthanded. He was also the fourth player in franchise history whose first career playoff goal was earned in a Game 7. He then became the ninth player in NHL history whose first two career postseason goals were shorthanded. McLeod's two shorthanded goals in the 2022-23 Stanley Cup Playoffs were tied with five other skaters in franchise history for the most shorthanded tallies in a single postseason.
Born on Feb. 23, 1998, the native of Mississauga, Ontario, was New Jersey's first-round selection, 12th overall, in the 2016 NHL Draft. Prior to his NHL experience, the 6-foot-1, 185-pound forward spent four seasons, 2014-15 until 2017-2018, in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) skating for the Mississauga Steelheads, where he captained the team in his final two seasons.
