Don’t look now, but the Buffalo Sabres have achieved the impossible, despite an embarrassing loss to Utah on Thursday. Since March 10th, the Sabres have tallied a 3-2 record and have demonstrated that they could play some fun hockey as the season comes to a close. With that being said, I wanted to give a shout out to Ryan McLeod for being one of the few players that have been giving it their all this season. The performance is part of a broader trend for McLeod, who has been setting career highs with Buffalo. With 15 goals, 22 assists and 37 points, he has done a great job at establishing himself as a reliable and dynamic presence on the ice. The Sabres currently hold the 12th best ranked defense in the league and McLeod has been a key part of that. He has done a great job at applying pressure in games, which as a whole has been able to generate more chances and turnovers. McLeod’s advanced metrics pain the same picture. His faceoff win percentage (51.7%), shorthanded goals and overall two way play highlight his versatility compared to other forwards on the team. While Tage and Peterka may lead the team in tradition scoring stats, having a player like McLeod who has the defensive reliability make his a unique asset with this team.
As McLeod continues to grow his game, he will likely become one of the Sabres’ best transition forwards that is rostered. This is something that they have lacked for some time now, as most of their roster has been fairly one-dimensional and only dipped into the offensive or defensive side of the puck. With that being said Ryan McLeod’s status as Sabre is something to keep an eye on. As he is scheduled to become a restricted free agent this offseason, his overall stats illustrate that he’s not just a role player but could be a vital piece for this Sabres team moving forward.
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