McLeod found his role in the NHL, embraced it and turned it into a long career.

The Binscarth, Manitoba, native went from undrafted free agent to Colorado Avalanche mainstay and alternate captain simply by working hard. A so-called "energy" player, McLeod provides snarl and spark as a diligent checking forward who kills penalties and wreaks havoc in front of the net.

McLeod's breakout fourth and final year of junior hockey with Portland of the Western Hockey League earned him a training-camp tryout with the Boston Bruins in 2005. He broke into the NHL more than two years later when, after two-plus seasons skating with minor-league teams, he earned a call-up to the Avalanche on Dec. 16, 2007 and made his debut three days later.

McLeod immediately showcased the physical game that would keep him in the Avalanche lineup for their 49 games the rest of that season. But he showed he could be a scorer as well as a scrapper: His first NHL goal came in his fourth game, against future Hall of Famer Dominik Hasek of the Detroit Red Wings on Dec. 27, 2007. He also scored the deciding goal of a 12-round shootout against the then-Phoenix Coyotes on Feb. 22, 2008.

He appeared in each of the Avalanche's 10 playoff games in 2008 and led Colorado in postseason penalty minutes, but earned a truly special place in franchise lore before Game 2 of the second-round series against the Red Wings. McLeod picked up one of the traditional octopi tossed onto the ice by a Red Wings fan, shook it at the Detroit bench and tossed it back into the stands.

The next season McLeod finished third on the Avalanche with 15 goals. He was also one of only three players in the NHL to score at least 15 goals and have all of them come at even strength.

On April 26, 2014, McLeod scored Colorado's first shorthanded playoff goal since 2008.