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Michael McLeod

Minor Transactions: 12/1/18

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It’s a full day of hockey today across the NHL, with Sharks-Senators kicking off the action with an early afternoon matinee, Stars-Canucks later on in the afternoon, and ten more contests on the way tonight. With 24 teams in action, it’s fair to expect some movement over the course of the day, even if all eyes will be on William Nylander regardless. Keep up with all of the minor transactions here:

  • After claiming Valentin Zykov off waivers, the Edmonton Oilers have made a move to open up a roster spot. The team announced that forward Patrick Russell has been returned to the AHL’s Bakersfield Condors. Russell, a native of Denmark, was on his first career NHL call-up after signing with the Oilers out of St. Cloud State University in 2016. Russell was held scoreless in his four games with Edmonton, albeit with limited ice time, but was involved at both ends and should see another opportunity soon.
  • The Ottawa Senators have recalled veteran defenseman Erik Burgdoerfer, the team announced. The 29-year-old is in the second season of a two-year minimum deal, during which he has primarily played with the Belleville Senators in the AHL. Named the minor league Sens’ captain this season, Burgdoerfer has six points in 16 games in Belleville and leads the team with a +5 rating. Burgdoerfer has only played in one game with Ottawa this year, but is expected to see some more action on this call-up. The Senators then announced after their 6-2 victory over San Jose that Burgdoerfer has been returned to Belleville. He was just recalled as a emergency forward and did not play in the game.
  • Eeli Tolvanen is back in the NHL, as the Nashville Predators have recalled their top prospect per a team release. It wasn’t long ago that Tolvanen was considering returning to the KHL this season, but opted instead to stay stateside and work toward a regular role for Nashville. It’s unclear if this call-up will be long-term or not, but Tolvanen has 11 in 21 games, tied for second among forwards on the AHL’s Milwaukee Admirals, and has shown flashes of brilliance amid some streaky play. Tolvanen already has an NHL skill set and would be better served to stay in the NHL if the Predators can afford the roster spot and regular play time.
  • The Carolina Hurricanes have activated both Brett Pesce and Haydn Fleury from the injured reserve, the team announced, signaling the end of the brief debut call-up of promising young defenseman Jake Bean. Bean has been returned to the AHL’s Charlotte Checkers, but not before he skated in two games with the Hurricanes and looked comfortable competing at the NHL level. Bean has 11 points on the year and a +6 rating, both second among Checkers defenseman. Bean is the next man up for Carolina and hopefully will get another look sooner rather than later.
  • The New Jersey Devils announced that they have activated defenseman Steven Santini and have assigned forward Michael McLeod to the Binghamton Devils of the AHL to make room for him. Santini has been with Binghamton since Nov. 20 on a conditioning loan after suffering a broken jaw. The 23-year-old has only played in one game for New Jersey this season and played in just three with Binghamton, going scoreless. McLeod, the team’s first-round pick in 2016, had a brief callup, but did make his NHL debut, but failed to register a point in that one game. He will continue to develop his skills in the AHL where he has three goals and 10 points in 21 games.
  • With the Winnipeg Jets placing Joe Morrow on injured reserve, the Jets announced they have recalled defenseman Nelson Nogier from the Manitoba Moose of the AHL. The 22-year-old stay-at-home defender has just one assist in 22 games for the Moose, but offers the team some size at 6-foot-2. He joins a bunch of Manitoba players on the Jets’ current roster, including Mason Appleton, Sami Niku and Cameron Schilling.

New Jersey Devils Recall Michael McLeod

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While the rest of the league was busy with the flurry of waiver activity, the New Jersey Devils have made their own interesting add. Team beat reporter Amanda Stein tweets that the Devils have recalled top prospect Michael McLeod from the minor leagues, and will join the team in Washington today. A roster spot was opened when Jean-Sebastien Dea was reclaimed by the Pittsburgh Penguins, to McLeod’s benefit. The team has also lost young forward Joey Anderson, who Stein reports has a broken ankle and underwent surgery this week.

It’s hard to know what exactly to expect from McLeod at the NHL level, given the discrepancy between his draft pedigree and performance since selection. The blazing fast two-way center was picked 12th overall by New Jersey in 2016, but failed to really take a huge step forward offensively in either of his following two junior seasons. He was a big part of the Mississauga Steelheads team of course, but there wasn’t that dominating presence that most top picks have after their draft. In the AHL it has been much of the same story in his short career. Promising, solid two-way play, but a lack of real dynamic offense. McLeod has three goals and 10 points in 21 games this season for the Binghamton Devils.

There may be a case to argue for McLeod actually being better suited to the NHL game. His skating ability should certainly allow him to keep up with the advanced pace at the higher level, and his responsible defensive skills should make him versatile enough to stay a lineup even if he isn’t producing. It’s that offensive upside that will really determine where McLeod lands on the New Jersey long-term depth chart though, especially with another defensively-minded option in Pavel Zacha having trouble registering points.

Devils Notes: Schneider, Hischier, Smith, Hall

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With New Jersey having made a significant jump in the Metropolitan Division, the Devils now must show that they can continue their success after 27-point increase in the standings and their first playoff berth since the 2011-12 season. The team was carried by Hart Trophy winner Taylor Hall and a group of young players who had a quick impact on the team.

However, the team accomplished all this with goaltender issues as 32-year-old Cory Schneider had a second disappointing season as he struggled with injuries throughout the year, while posting a 2.93 GAA and a .907 save percentage in just 40 games. The team got a great season out of backup Keith Kincaid, who helped the Devils reach the playoffs. However, if the team has any hopes of reaching the playoffs for a second-straight season, the team will need Schneider to be healthy-free and at the top of his game, according to Scott Billeck of NBC Sports.

In fact, there is hope that Schneider can bounce back after two disappointing years as a nagging hip injury was hopefully fixed this offseason when he underwent surgery. He is listed as questionable to start training camp and may miss the early portion of the season while recovering from surgery that has a five-month timeline.

  • In another story, Billeck writes that the team can’t expect Hall to produce at another 93-point season like he did last year. If the team wants to return to the playoffs, they will have to rely on other players to pick up their games. After Hall, the team’s next best scorer was No. 1 overall pick Nico Hischier at 52 points, which is a big dropoff. The team will need better secondary scoring. Hischier could provide some of that as Billeck believes that Hischier could become a 70-point scorer in his second year, while the team has to hope that winger Marcus Johansson can bounce back to his 50-point averages after being limited to just 29 games last season.
  • Mike Morreale of NHL.com writes that the team has several top prospects who could complement the team this year if they can prove themselves in training camp as 2018 first-round pick Ty Smith has a chance to earn a spot on a young blue line. He lists the team’s top five prospects, including Smith at No. 1, and while he believes that Smith will likely need another year in juniors, Smith still has a chance to win a spot on an improved, but hardly established blue line. He scored 73 points in 69 games for Spokane of the WHL last season and might be the perfect player to replace veteran John Moore, who left for Boston this offseason. Morreale also writes that the Devils should expect Michael McLeod and John Quenneville to make the teams next year.
  • The Athletic’s Cory Masisak (subscription required) breaks down what the Devils could look like in the 2020-21 season and quickly assumes that New Jersey will lock up Hall to a long-term deal of more than $10MM. Hall has two years remaining on his current deal.

Devils Plan To Make A Splash This Summer

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No one could have expected that the New Jersey Devils would improve by 16 wins from last season to this season, transforming from a bottom feeder to a playoff team. The team added impact rookies Nico Hischier and Will Butcher and traded for defenseman Sami Vatanen, but also lost Adam Henrique in that deal and watched 2016-17 top-six forwards Mike Cammalleri and P.A. Parenteau depart. Yet, the team took a major leap forward with only a marginal improvement to their roster. Hoping for a repeat in that trend, NJ.com’s Chris Ryan reports that GM Ray Shero has been given the “green light” by the Devils to spend in free agency this summer.

New Jersey enters the 2018 off-season with substantial cap space. A bottom-five spender this season, the team is likely to lose Patrick Maroon, Michael Grabner, Drew Stafford, and Jimmy Hayes to free agency, which will open up even more room. They will also finally be rid of Ryane Clowe’s cap hit. Even if the team was to hang on to defenseman John Moore, goaltender Eddie Lack, or forward Brian Gibbons, they would still have more than enough space to make a significant splash this summer.

Ryan addresses several players who Devils fans are intrigued by in his mailbag. He begins by throwing water on the idea that New Jersey will be in hot pursuit of John Tavares if he hits the open market. Seeing as Tavares will command a seven-year deal that could approach nine figures, Ryan rules the Devils out as a destination. New Jersey has its star center of the future in Hischier and must pay he and Hart finalist Taylor Hall in the next few years. However, Ryan does not shy away from any other recommended targets.

Among those other players the Devils could pursue are defenseman John Carlson, who would be the biggest name on the market if Tavares re-signs with the Islanders, fellow blue liners Mike Green and Calvin de Haan, and big winger James van Riemsdyk. Ryan rules out a reunion with Ilya Kovalchuk, but New Jersey could also be a destination for other stars of yesteryear like Joe Thornton or Rick Nash. Evander Kane, Paul Stastny, David Perron and James Neal are other top names who could wind up in Newark.

Ryan does add that the Devils may be content to sign just one of the big-name players on this summer’s free agent market. Given the luck he had making a blockbuster trade this year, Shero could surely explore the trade market instead of exclusively signing free agents. He may also want to give time to forward prospects like Michael McLeod and Joey Anderson, after Hischier, Jesper Bratt, and Blake Coleman found success this year. It will be a busy off-season one way or another for New Jersey and will continue to be a fun process of building a contender for team members and fans alike.

New Jersey Devils Recall Seven Players

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The New Jersey Devils have recalled their “Black Aces”, several players who will skate with the team throughout the playoffs but are not expected to play. Christoph Bertschy, Nick Lappin, Michael McLeod, Blake Pietila, Kevin Rooney, Michael Kapla and Brian Strait are all on their way up from Binghamton. The AHL squad did not qualify for the playoffs, meaning the season is over for the rest of the team’s prospects.

For McLeod, the 12th-overall pick from 2016, it’s been a disappointing. After dealing with injury to start the year, he returned to the Mississauga Steelheads and didn’t take the expected step forward to become one of the most dangerous players in the league. Though his game has always been built on using his speed to play a solid two-way game, scoring 100 points in 77 games during the 2016-17 season showed off exactly how much offense he could create. In 44 games this year he recorded just 54 points, and Mississauga was knocked out in the first round of the OHL playoffs.

Hopefully a taste of the NHL playoffs will be able to spark another level in his development, and he’ll be battling for an NHL spot out of camp in the fall. Otherwise, he’s headed for the AHL to hone his skills and try to be the next young star to help widen New Jersey’s newfound window of contention.

Nic Hague, Michael McLeod Heading To AHL

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After the Mississauga Steelheads were eliminated from the OHL playoffs, two of their best players are headed to the AHL to test their skills. Vegas Golden Knights prospect Nic Hague is on his way to the Chicago Wolves, while New Jersey Devils pick Micheal McLeod is joining Binghamton.

Hague was selected in the second round by the Golden Knights after falling a bit in the draft, but has taken another step forward this season. With 35 goals and 78 points in 67 games, the 19-year old defenseman led the Steelheads in scoring and skated huge minutes for them all season long. His 6’6″ frame is used to effectively move attackers off the puck in the defensive zone, while his long reach and active stick routinely cuts off passes. Jumping into the rush and taking plenty of shots from the point, there are still some warts in Hague’s game as he can get caught of position. With some strong coaching at the next level though, there is huge upside to his game as a future NHL player.

McLeod on the other hand has had a disappointing season for Mississauga, after battling injury to start the year. While 44 points in 38 games still puts him as one of the more effective players on the team, his breakaway speed and dynamic puck control have been absent at times. Those skills are the ones that made him the 12th-overall pick in 2016, and ones that could make him a star in the NHL down the road. McLeod did find his game somewhat in the playoffs, scoring some big goals as the Steelheads tried to fend off elimination. If he can continue to get back to what made him such a high pick, there’s a chance the 20-year old forward could be in New Jersey as soon as the fall.

Hockey Canada Announces Preliminary World Junior Roster

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Like USA Hockey did yesterday, Hockey Canada has announced their preliminary World Junior Championship roster for the upcoming tournament in Buffalo, NY. The Canadian selection camp will have 32 players in it, but will have to whittle it down before the tournament begins. That group could potentially get a bonus should someone like Nolan Patrick or Victor Mete be sent back from their NHL squads in the next few weeks. The tournament officially begins on December 26th.

The roster is as follows:

G Carter Hart (PHI)
G Michael DiPietro (VAN)
G Colton Point (DAL)
G Samuel Harvey (2018 draft eligible)

D Kale Clague (LAK)
D Cale Makar (COL)
D Dante Fabbro (NSH)
D Jake Bean (CAR)
D Connor Timmins (COL)
D Logan Stanley (WPG)
D Cal Foote (TBL)
D Josh Mahura (ANA)
D Dennis Cholowski (DET)
D Mario Ferraro (SJS)

F Sam Steel (ANA)
F Michael McLeod (NJD)
F Jordan Kyrou (STL)
F Robert Thomas (STL)
F Dillon Dube (CGY)
F Brett Howden (TBL)
F Boris Katchouk (TBL)
F Nick Suzuki (VGK)
F Max Comtois (ANA)
F Alex Formenton (OTT)
F Jonathan Ang (FLA)
F Drake Batherson (OTT)
F Jonah Gadjovich (VAN)
F Cody Glass (VGK)
F Tanner Kaspick (STL)
F Kole Lind (VAN)
F Taylor Raddysh (TBL)
F Tyler Steenbergen (ARI)

The biggest surprises for Team Canada may be in the exclusions. Owen Tippett (FLA), Cliff Pu (BUF), Michael Rasmussen (DET), Adam Mascherin (FLA) and others were all expected to at least receive an invitation to the selection camp, but they will have to watch as their countrymen battle it out for the final spots.

New Jersey Devils Send Michael McLeod Back To Junior

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While we’ve spoken before about the junior-aged players still around in the NHL, one name was often overlooked. Michael McLeod has technically been with the NHL team all season, though situated on injured reserve. There was some speculation that perhaps he would stick with the big club when he was healthy, but today the Devils squashed that idea. McLeod is on his way back to the OHL to play for (and captain) the Mississauga Steelheads for the remainder of the season.

Mississauga will welcome him with open arms after starting the year a disappointing 8-10-1. They recently received Owen Tippett back from the Florida Panthers as well, and should bounce back from their early season struggles. McLeod and Tippett combined for 71 goals and 148 points last season for the Steelheads, who have been relying more on McLeod’s little brother this year.

Ryan McLeod, the younger of the two, is eligible for the 2018 draft and looks like he’ll be a top-15 pick just like his brother. The pair hold incredible skating ability and creativity in the offensive zone, and have the ability to play the center position. While they may not have the elite scoring upside of some of their draft contemporaries, both are expected to make an impact as excellent two-way players pairing size and speed.

Travis Zajac Well Ahead Of Schedule, Expected To Return Next Week

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It appears that the Devils will be getting center Travis Zajac back a lot earlier than originally anticipated.  He underwent surgery on August 17th to repair a torn pectoral muscle and was supposed to miss between four-to-six months.  However, the team announced via Twitter that Zajac has been cleared to return to practice and that he should suit up sometime next week.

Dec 23, 2016; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; New Jersey Devils center Travis Zajac (19) looks on against the Pittsburgh Penguins during the first period at the PPG PAINTS Arena. The Penguins won 4-1.Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY SportsZajac’s return would be a big boost for a New Jersey team that has been one of the more pleasant surprises in the early going this season.  He has been one of their more consistent players in recent years that plays in all situations while routinely being above average at the faceoff dot.

Once cleared to return, the Devils will be an enviable team when it comes to their depth down the middle.  2017 top pick Nico Hischier has adapted nicely in his rookie campaign while Adam Henrique has skated as their other top-six center so far.  Brian Boyle recently returned to the lineup after battling leukemia while Blake Coleman has handled the fourth line duties nicely.  They also have Pavel Zacha who is out the outside looking in at a lineup spot at the moment plus Marcus Johansson (who can play all three forward positions) although he’s out with a concussion.  When everyone is healthy, that’s one of the deeper groups in the league and that type of depth could potentially be used to make a move or two as we get closer to the trade deadline.

[Related: Devils Depth Chart from Roster Resource]

New Jersey also received good news regarding 2016 first rounder Michael McLeod.  Andrew Gross of The Record notes that the 19-year-old has also been cleared to return to practice.  He underwent arthroscopic surgery on his left knee back on October 12th.  Head coach John Hynes acknowledged to Gross (Twitter link) that no decision has been made yet as to whether or not he will play with the Devils or be returned to his junior team, the OHL’s Mississauga Steelheads.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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