Professional
McLeod was selected with the 12th overall pick by the New Jersey Devils of the National Hockey League (NHL) in the 2016 NHL entry draft. [5] On October 7, 2016, the Devils signed McLeod to a three-year, entry-level contract. [6]
In a preseason game on September 25, 2017, McLeod tore his meniscus in his left knee and required arthroscopic surgery. When he was activated from injured reserve he was reassigned to the Mississauga Steelheads. [7]
On April 3, 2018, McLeod was assigned to the Binghamton Devils of the American Hockey League (AHL) following the conclusion of his OHL career. [8] McLeod was recalled for the first time by New Jersey on November 29, 2019, following Jean-Sébastien Dea being picked up on waivers by the Pittsburgh Penguins. [9] He made his NHL debut the following night in a 6–3 loss to the Washington Capitals, [10] and was sent back to Binghamton the following day. [11] McLeod got into 21 games with the Devils during the 2018–19 season, registering just three points (all assists). [12] On January 27, 2021, McLeod scored his first NHL goal in a 5–3 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers, his 39th game. [13]
McLeod set a career high in points in a season during the 2022–23 season, registering 26 points in 80 games. [14] On May 1, 2023, McLeod scored the first and ultimately game- and series-winning goal in New Jersey's 4–0 win over the rival New York Rangers in game 7 of the first round of the 2023 Stanley Cup playoffs. [15] He finished the playoffs with two goals and six points in 12 playoff games for the Devils. [14]
McLeod signed a one-year, $1.4 million contract to stay with the Devils on July 1, 2023. [16] On January 24, 2024, the Devils announced that McLeod and defenceman Cal Foote were granted indefinite leaves of absence from the team. [17] [18] At the end of the season, in which he did not return to play, he had 19 points in 45 games on the strength of a career-best 10 goals. [19]
On August 2, 2024, McLeod signed a one-year contract with Barys Astana of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL), joining former Devils teammate Will Butcher with the Kazakhstani club to start the 2024–25 season. [19] On October 18, McLeod was released from his contract with the last-place club following just 16 appearances and a team-best six points. Five more North Americans, including Butcher, were released by the club over the following month, a move that The Hockey News called "an apparent cost-cutting measure." On November 19, McLeod signed with another KHL club, Avangard Omsk. [20]
