Ryan
McLeod
C · BUF · Defensive · Above average
- PAL
- 62
- WAR
- 2.0
- Value
- 49
- PTS
- 54
2025-26№ 70 / 615
Ryan McLeod (Buffalo Sabres) stats and profile: offensive production, ice time, advanced stats, WAR and PAL rating.
Ryan McLeod
#71CPlays: Centre · 71% of faceoffs
Buffalo Sabres
HEIGHT : 191 cm · WEIGHT : 90 kg · SHOOTS : L
Born : September 20, 1999 · Mississauga, Canada
Drafted : 2018 · EDM · round 2, pick #40
Contract : $5,000,000 · 2025-26 → 2028-29 · Standard Contract (Extension) · UFA · Signing bonus $2,000,000M-NTC
NHL record
| Year | Team | GP | G | A | PTS | PIM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 | Buffalo Sabres | 15 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| 2025-26 | Buffalo Sabres | 81 | 14 | 40 | 54 | 16 |
| 2024-25 | Buffalo Sabres | 79 | 20 | 33 | 53 | 16 |
| 2023-24 | Edmonton Oilers | 81 | 12 | 18 | 30 | 10 |
| 2022-23 | Edmonton Oilers | 57 | 11 | 12 | 23 | 18 |
| 2021-22 | Edmonton Oilers | 71 | 9 | 12 | 21 | 12 |
| 2020-21 | Edmonton Oilers | 10 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| NHL totals | 394 | 67 | 118 | 185 | 76 | |
Playoffs
| Year | Team | GP | G | A | PTS | PIM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | Buffalo Sabres | 13 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 2 |
| 2023-24 | Edmonton Oilers | 24 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 16 |
| 2022-23 | Edmonton Oilers | 12 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 2 |
| 2021-22 | Edmonton Oilers | 16 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 8 |
| 2020-21 | Edmonton Oilers | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Playoff totals | 69 | 8 | 10 | 18 | 28 | |
Ryan McLeod: our analysis
2025-26 season: 81 GP, 14 G, 40 A, 54 PTS, +25 +/-, 17:37 TOI. WAR 2.0 (70th of 615) · PAL 62, above average.
In 2025-26, Ryan McLeod, 27, posts a PAL Rating of 62 out of 100 (above average), and his WAR of 2.0 ranks 70th among 615 regulars, in the top quarter.
His strengths: penalty kill (100, among the best in the league), possession (78, well above average) and offense (69, above average). On the other hand, creation (2, among the weakest in the league) and power play (12, among the weakest in the league) hold him back.
Breaking down his WAR (goals above average), his biggest contribution: EV offense (+3.6); his biggest cost: power play (-0.5).
A slight dip from 2024-25, when his PAL was 65; his WAR went from 2.5 to 2.0.
Contract-wise, his Value score of 49 (fair value) weighs his output against what he costs: 50 is what that salary should buy.
Ryan McLeod's story
He learned to skate on the backyard rink in Mississauga before his name became familiar in Ontario junior hockey. With the Toronto Marlboros in the GTHL he helped win the 2015 OHL Cup and was named that tournament’s MVP, and he also finished as the GTHL’s Player of the Year; he had a brief two-game stint as an affiliated player with the Oakville Blades.
Selected third overall by the Flint Firebirds in the 2015 OHL Priority Selection, McLeod refused to report to Flint and was subsequently traded to the Mississauga Steelheads for multiple draft picks and an additional league-awarded first-round choice. He debuted in major junior in 2015–16 and developed steadily: after a deep playoff run in 2016–17 he produced a breakout regular season in 2017–18 with 26 goals and 70 points in 68 games. Midway through 2018–19 Mississauga moved him to the Saginaw Spirit, where he immediately played on the top line and contributed in Saginaw’s run to the Western Conference final.
The Edmonton Oilers picked him 40th overall at the 2018 NHL Entry Draft. McLeod signed an entry-level contract on 1 May 2019 and began his pro career with the Bakersfield Condors, including AHL playoff appearances that spring. With the NHL schedule affected by COVID-19 he was loaned to EV Zug in September 2020, returned to North America and paced Bakersfield at about a point per game, earning a call-up and making his NHL debut on 26 April 2021; his first NHL point came on 11 May 2021.
In Edmonton he notched his first goal on 14 November 2021 and recorded a three-point game on 28 March 2022. He appeared in multiple playoff campaigns, including the 2024 Stanley Cup run where he scored four goals in 24 postseason games. Contract renewals kept him in the Oilers’ lineup through the 2023–24 season; that year he played 81 games and finished with 12 goals and 30 points. On 5 July 2024 he was traded to the Buffalo Sabres.
McLeod made his Sabres debut on opening night in Prague on 4 October, recorded his first point for Buffalo on 12 October and his first goal on 16 October; he scored his first career hat trick on 15 January 2025. His game is built on positional flexibility and a two-way approach—comfortable moving between centre and wing and able to contribute at even strength and on special teams.
Facts drawn from Wikipédia, told in our own words.
Advanced stats
- TOI/GP
- 14:56
- PP TOI/GP
- 1:03
- SH TOI/GP
- 2:25
- Pts/GP
- 0.20
- EV points
- 3
- Hits
- 5
- Blocks
- 4
- Takeaways
- 5
- Corsi % (SAT)
- 47.0 %
- Off. zone starts
- 26.7 %
- Faceoffs
- 51.0 %
Stats and photos: NHL (NHL.com)
2026-27 projection
Projected points
41between 21 and 61 (80% range)
- Goals
- 11
- Assists
- 30
- Games
- 79
So far: 3 pts in 15 games. The team has played 17 of 84 games. Projected pace: 0.59 pts per game (last season: 0.67).
The projection follows last season's pace. Tested on 2,265 player seasons (2022-23 to 2025-26): average miss of 9 points over 82 games; for players at 0.9 points per game and up, it ran 5 points high on average.
Trend
Slightly up
- Points per game: 0.37 in 23-24, 0.67 in 25-26
- PAL Rating: 65 → 62
Outlook, age included
↗ Slightly upAge 27: prime years
This is only a projection. It knows nothing about injuries, trades or role changes; one player in five finishes outside the range.
Player ratings, 2025-26
All ratings →Fourteen ratings from 0 to 100 drawn from data, never by hand: 75 = established NHL player, 95+ = elite.
OV · OverallConfidence 82 %
83
Very good
- SK
- Skating
- 93
- Confidence 73 %
- ST
- Strength
- 77
- Confidence 85 %
- EN
- Endurance
- 78
- Confidence 80 %
- DU
- Durability
- 85
- Confidence 77 %
- CK
- Checking
- 57
- Confidence 85 %
- FG
- Fighting
- 58
- Confidence 65 %
- DI
- Discipline
- 72
- Confidence 85 %
- FO
- Faceoffs
- 76
- Confidence 90 %
- PA
- Passing
- 83
- Confidence 82 %
- SC
- Scoring
- 67
- Confidence 82 %
- DF
- Defense
- 78
- Confidence 79 %
- PS
- Penalty shot
- 64
- Confidence 8 %
- EX
- Experience
- 81
- Confidence 100 %
Why these ratings?Hide details
SK — Skating93
- Top speed (35 %)37.2 · 89
- Bursts > 20 mph /60 (30 %)12.6 · 93
- Distance /60 (20 %)18.1 · 98
- Speed consistency (15 %)36.6 · 90
ST — Strength77
- Contact absorbed /60 (50 %)4.04 · 74
- Body mass (50 %)-0.027 · 77
EN — Endurance78
- Ice time per game (45 %)15.9 · 78
- Total ice time (20 %)1,367 · 85
- Shift length (15 %)42.4 · 64
- Lowest recent ice time per game (15 %)13.9 · 76
- Special-teams time per game (5 %)3.064 · 81
DU — Durability85
- Share of games played (100 %)0.873 · 85
CK — Checking57
- Hits /60 (70 %)1.872 · 56
- Lowest seasonal rate (20 %)1.376 · 55
- Season volume (10 %)2.833 · 56
FG — Fighting58
- Fights per 82 games (100 %)0.666 · 58
DI — Discipline72
- Net penalty value /60 (50 %)0.006 · 70
- Penalties taken /60 (30 %)0.424 · 85
- Penalties drawn /60 (20 %)0.461 · 52
FO — Faceoffs76
- Faceoff % (85 %)49.3 · 74
- Faceoffs /60 (15 %)50.1 · 86
PA — Passing83
- Primary assists /60 (40 %)0.944 · 85
- Secondary assists /60 (20 %)0.543 · 78
- Offensive creation (RAPM) (20 %)0.152 · 83
- Power-play points /60 (10 %)3.739 · 62
- Assist consistency (10 %)0.64 · 82
SC — Scoring67
- Goals /60 (25 %)0.755 · 73
- Individual xG /60 (20 %)0.575 · 56
- Finishing (goals − xG per shot) (20 %)0.255 · 82
- High-danger chances /60 (15 %)0.856 · 54
- xG per shot (10 %)0.081 · 68
- Shot attempts /60 (10 %)9.642 · 56
DF — Defense78
- RAPM defense /60 (35 %)0.059 · 80
- Relative xG against (20 %)0.024 · 70
- On-ice xG against /60 (15 %)2.67 · 70
- Penalty kill /60 (10 %)0.477 · 97
- Takeaways − giveaways /60 (10 %)-1.801 · 65
- Shot attempts against /60 (5 %)57.3 · 78
- Blocked shots /60 (5 %)1.883 · 60
PS — Penalty shot64
- Shootouts (60 %)32.7 · 76
- Penalty shots (40 %)25.4 · 57
EX — Experience81
- Career regular-season games (65 %)84
- Career playoff games (25 %)80
- NHL seasons (10 %)66
OV — Overall83
- SC · Scoring (20 %)67
- PA · Passing (20 %)83
- DF · Defense (20 %)78
- SK · Skating (12 %)93
- FO · Faceoffs (10 %)76
- EN · Endurance (8 %)78
- DI · Discipline (5 %)72
- ST · Strength (3 %)77
- CK · Checking (2 %)57
| Season | OV | SK | SC | DF |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 83 | 93 | 67 | 78 |
| 2024-25 | 85 | 93 | 73 | 81 |
| 2023-24 | 85 | 96 | 70 | 87 |
| 2022-23 | 82 | 93 | 77 | 84 |
The bars show confidence (sample size), not player quality. — : not enough data, not a zero. Engine version 1.0.
WAR and PAL ratings, 2025-26
How we rate →PAL Rating scores performance from 0 to 100 against players at the same position (50 = average player), starting from the player's strength, offensive or defensive. Value Rating compares that performance with what the player costs: 50 means paid what the play is worth.
WAR
2.0
wins above replacement
70 of 615
PAL Rating
62/ 100
Performance · Above average
164 of 476 at the position
Value Rating
49/ 100
Fair value
5.00 M$ · expected PAL 63
ProfileDefensiveValue comes mostly from defense
- Offense
- 39
- Defense
- 87
See full detailsHide details
- Offense
- 69
- Creation
- 2
- Shooting
- 15
- Possession
- 78
- Defense
- 48
- Discipline
- 30
- Power play
- 12
- Penalty kill
- 100
From 0 to 100; 50 is the average player at the same position, adjusted for ice time.
| Season | Team | WAR | PAL | Value | Cap hit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | BUF | 2.0 | 62 | 49 | 5.00 M$ |
| 2024-25 | BUF | 2.5 | 65 | 65 | 2.10 M$ |
| 2023-24 | EDM | 1.6 | 82 | 83 | 2.10 M$ |
| 2022-23 | EDM | 1.2 | 73 | 86 | 0.80 M$ |
Hockey IQ, 2025-26
Rankings and method →The quality of the player's decisions with and against the puck at 5-on-5, against regulars at the same position (50 = average). PAL measures output; IQ measures how the player plays.
Overall IQ
8/ 100
Low
better than 8% of forwards, offense and defense combined
Offensive IQ
9/ 100
Low
passing, shots, puck
Defensive IQ
22/ 100
Below average
takeaways, discipline, own zone
Overall IQ isn't an average of the two scores: it's the player's rank with offense and defense combined, 388 of 424 forwards.
See full detailsHide details
Offense
- Playmaking passes
- 96
- Shot selection
- 30
- Penalties drawn
- 0
- Puck management
- 5
Defense
- Takeaways
- 80
- Discipline
- 78
- Safe zone exits
- 0
Percentiles: 80 means better than 80% of regulars at the same position. Play without the puck (positioning, coverage) isn't measured: the NHL doesn't publish that data.
| Season | Team | IQ | Off. | Def. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | BUF | 8 | 9 | 22 |
| 2024-25 | BUF | 33 | 26 | 43 |
| 2023-24 | EDM | 62 | 45 | 70 |
| 2022-23 | EDM | 10 | 35 | 9 |
WAR, 2025-26
How it's calculated →Wins added to the team, compared with a replacement-level player called up from the AHL.
2.0
wins above replacement
0.8 to 2.7 — 90% interval
70 of 615 forwards
+10.4 goals above replacement
Full leaderboard →See full detailsHide details
- EV offense
- +3.6
- EV defense
- +1.0
- Power play
- -0.5
- Penalty kill
- +1.8
- Shooting
- +1.0
- Penalties
- -0.2
- Average → replacement
- +3.6
In goals.
| Season | Team | GP | WAR | 90% interval | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | BUF | 81 | 2.0 | 0.8 to 2.7 | 70/615 |
| 2024-25 | BUF | 75 | 2.5 | 1.2 to 3.3 | 51/596 |
| 2023-24 | EDM | 81 | 1.6 | 0.3 to 2.6 | 91/608 |
| 2022-23 | EDM | 57 | 1.2 | 0.2 to 2.2 | 115/617 |
Player tracking (NHL EDGE)
League EDGE leaderboards →Speed, shot power, distance covered, time by zone: measured by chips in the puck and shoulder pads. 90th percentile = better than 90% of players.
- Hardest shot
- 122.7 km/h16th percentileleague avg. 130.1 km/h
- Top skating speed
- 37.7 km/h98th percentileleague avg. 35.2 km/h
- Bursts over 20 mph, season
- 5696th percentileleague avg. 21
- Offensive zone time
- 39.8 %24th percentileleague avg. 43.1 %
See full detailsHide details
- Total distance, season
- 64.9 km61st percentileleague avg. 52.2 km
- Distance, single-game high
- 5.33 km78th percentileleague avg. 4.52 km
- Offensive zone at 5v5
- 41.4 %57th percentileleague avg. 42.4 %
- Neutral zone time
- 17.6 %28th percentileleague avg. 16.8 %
- Defensive zone time
- 42.6 %18th percentileleague avg. 40.1 %
Shooting
| Shots on goal | Goals | Shooting % | |
|---|---|---|---|
| All | 1335th percentile | 139th percentile | 7.7 %19th percentile |
| High danger | 539th percentile | 157th percentile | 20.0 %56th percentile |
| Mid range | 334th percentile | 054th percentile | 0.0 %32nd percentile |
| Long range | 272nd percentile | 092nd percentile | 0.0 %87th percentile |
Shots on goal by zone
2026-2027 regular season. Measured by puck and player tracking chips; the percentile ranks the player within the league.
Game log, 2026-27
OTT
LAK
ANA
SJS
WSH
PHI
MTL
TOR
FLA
UTA
DAL
MIN
CHI
CBJRyan McLeod: frequently asked questions
How many goals does Ryan McLeod have in 2026-27?
Ryan McLeod has 1 goal and 3 points (2 assists) in 15 games in 2026-27.
How old is Ryan McLeod?
Ryan McLeod is 27 years old: he was born on September 21, 1999.
How tall is Ryan McLeod, and how much does he weigh?
Ryan McLeod is 6'3" (191 cm) and weighs 198 lb (90 kg).
Where is Ryan McLeod from?
Canada: Ryan McLeod was born in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada.
What team does Ryan McLeod play for?
Ryan McLeod plays for the Buffalo Sabres in the NHL, at C, wearing number 71.
Is Ryan McLeod injured?
No: Ryan McLeod is not on the latest NHL injury report. This answer is updated throughout the season.
How good is Ryan McLeod?
Ryan McLeod produced 2.0 wins above replacement (WAR) in 2025-26, 70th of 615 players at his position in the NHL. His PAL rating is 62 out of 100: above average for his position.
How much does Ryan McLeod make?
Ryan McLeod earns $5.0M for the 2025-26 season. His Value Rating is 49 out of 100 (fair value): it measures the on-field return for that salary, compared with players at his position.
When does Ryan McLeod's contract end?
Ryan McLeod's contract runs through the 2028-29 season; he will then be an unrestricted free agent. It includes a M-NTC clause.
Is Ryan McLeod overpaid?
Neither: he delivers about what his salary should buy. His Value rating is 49 out of 100 (fair value), where 50 is the output expected for his salary, compared with players at his position.
Is Ryan McLeod a top-10 player at his position?
No: by WAR, he ranks 70th of 615 players at his position in the NHL in 2025-26. Our comparison tool puts him side by side with any other player.
Is Ryan McLeod getting better?
No, he is slipping: his PAL rating went from 65 in 2024-25 to 62 in 2025-26 (out of 100, 50 = average player at his position).
How has Ryan McLeod played lately?
Over his last 10 games, Ryan McLeod has 2 points (1 goal, 1 assist).
What are Ryan McLeod's career stats?
Over his NHL career, Ryan McLeod has 394 games, 67 goals, 118 assists and 185 points. His best season: 2025-26, with 54 points in 81 games.
Where was Ryan McLeod drafted?
Ryan McLeod was drafted 40th overall (round 2) by Edmonton Oilers in 2018.
Is Ryan McLeod better at home or on the road?
On the road: in 2026-27, he averages 0.14 points per game at home (1 in 7 games) and 0.25 on the road (2 in 8 games).
How does Ryan McLeod perform in the playoffs?
In the playoffs, Ryan McLeod has 69 games and 18 points in his career. His pace (0.26 points per game) is lower than his regular-season pace (0.47).
Which player is most similar to Ryan McLeod?
Kasperi Kapanen: he is the player at his position whose PAL profile (the 0-to-100 dimensions) is closest to his in 2025-26.
Kasperi Kapanen's page →Is Ryan McLeod a good fantasy pick?
A useful depth pick: our projection has him at 41 points in 2026-27, or 0.52 points per game.
Does Ryan McLeod have siblings?
Yes: his brother Matt McLeod (plays for the Belfast Giants in Northern Ireland), his brother Michael McLeod (plays in Russia).
What is Ryan McLeod's nationality?
Ryan McLeod is Canadian.
What awards has Ryan McLeod won?
OHL Cup championship most valuable player (MVP), 2015 ; GTHL Player of the Year.
How many championships has Ryan McLeod won?
1: OHL Cup winner with the Toronto Marlboros, 2015.
Where did Ryan McLeod play before turning pro?
Toronto Marlboros (GTHL) — OHL Cup winner 2015; Mississauga Steelheads (OHL) 2015–16 to 2018–19; Saginaw Spirit (OHL) 2018–19.
How many points is Ryan McLeod projected to score in 2026-27?
Our projection has him at 41 points in 79 games in 2026-27 (21 to 61 points, 80% interval), based on his recent seasons, age and role.
See also: his Buffalo Sabres teammates
Full roster →
NHL.com ↗ · Stats and photos: NHL (NHL.com)