McLeod hopes experience helps him stick with Devils

NEWARK, N.J. --
Michael McLeod
is hoping the experience he gained last season leads to an extended stay with the New Jersey Devils.

McLeod (6-foot-2, 188 pounds), chosen in the first round (No. 12) of the 2016 NHL Draft, had an inauspicious start to last season when he missed six weeks after surgery to repair a torn meniscus Oct. 12. He injured his left knee in a preseason game against the New York Islanders on Sept. 25.
After a rehab stint with Devils trainers, the 20-year-old right-shot center was returned to Mississauga of the Ontario Hockey League for a fourth season.
In January, McLeod played for Canada at the 2018 IIHF World Junior Championship in an unfamiliar checking-line role, and had four points (one goal, three assists) to help them win a gold medal. He gained experience playing big minutes on the penalty kill and winning key face-offs.
"I think I just showed a different part of my game that very well could be the role I play in the NHL, so it was a pretty important tournament for me," McLeod said. "On face-offs, it's quickness and strength, and sometimes creativity, with lifting their stick to get the puck back."

The decision to have McLeod play a checking role couldn't have been easy for Canada since he was known as an offensive force in the OHL, scoring 207 points (76 goals, 131 assists) in 215 career games.
"Mike was very strong on draws and put in situations to show his strength at the world juniors," Devils assistant general manager Tom Fitzgerald said. "He was on the penalty kill because he's an attack-first guy, and was capable of pinning opposing power plays because of his speed. I thought he was huge part of Canada's success in the role he played."
McLeod won 61 percent (44-for-72) of his face-offs in seven WJC games. He won 64.7 percent of face-offs (481-for-744) in 38 games for Mississauga last season, and hopes to parlay that experience into a successful training camp with the Devils.

"I'm here to make the team; I'm not here to not make the team and come back to development camp a fourth year in a row," McLeod said. "I want to show maturity in all aspects of the game."
McLeod, signed to a three-year, entry-level contract on Oct. 7, 2016, looked smoother, smarter and stronger during Devils development camp last month.
"I've gotten more flexible; I've been doing Yoga a lot more and have worked on my shot and different ways of delivering that shot," he said.
McLeod had one assist and nine shots on goal in six games with Binghamton of the American Hockey League at the end of last season.
"What we'd like to see more of from Michael is give-and-go hockey," Fitzgerald said. "We want him to use his speed to draw people back. He's playing with smarter players who can make those plays, so he needs to trust that he can use his speed to turn pucks into areas to help your teammates. You need to know when to use your gears to make plays."