EDMONTON – Ryan McLeod was ushered by his teammates to center ice to lead the Buffalo Sabres’ post-practice stretch on Friday, surrounded by the familiar sights of a building where he competed for the Stanley Cup just six months ago.
McLeod will return to the lineup for the Sabres on Saturday, just in time to make his return to Rogers Place and play his former team, the Edmonton Oilers, for the first time. McLeod has missed the past three games with what he described as a “nagging” upper-body injury.
“Definitely a game I want to play,” he said. “So, yeah, excited to get back in for it.”
McLeod was drafted by the Oilers during the second round in 2018 and played 264 games spanning four seasons with the franchise, a tenure that culminated with his playing a key role during the team’s run to the Stanley Cup Final last spring.
Edmonton, which has long boasted two of the game’s premier offensive talents in Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, finally made it to the Final thanks in part to the extra push it received from a lockdown penalty kill. McLeod was a vital piece of that unit, skating 36:43 shorthanded in the playoffs without allowing a goal, while also contributing four goals on offense.
The Sabres acquired McLeod in exchange for prospect Matt Savoie in July, looking to add his two-way abilities and speed to their lineup. He has 24 points (10+14) in 45 games and is on pace to surpass the offensive career highs he established with the Oilers last season.
McLeod had two of his best games of the season just prior to his injury, a three-point outing in Ottawa on Jan. 9 and his first career hat trick against Carolina on Jan. 15. He practiced Friday on a line with Dylan Cozens and Alex Tuch.
“He was playing well before he went out and now getting him back in, we’ve had some big minutes with some young guys in the middle, he’ll help out with that,” coach Lindy Ruff said.
Here’s more from Friday’s skate in Edmonton.