Draft Profile – Ryan McLeod

Ryan McLeod

Center

Mississauga Steelheads (OHL)

Size: 6’2 (188 cm) and 190 pounds (86 kg)

 

Before I start, I do want to give a special mention to another great draft analyst in Dominic Tiano of OHLWriters. He’s done a ton of work on Ontario prospects, including his own on Ryan McLeod found here. I would recommend him as a high quality source for any and all things OHL. He’s done tons of footwork for lesser known prospects that wouldn’t see the light of day to more casual fans.

A beautiful skater with an instinct for the offensive zone, McLeod has had somewhat of a breakout year. Putting up 70 points (26 goals, 44 assists) in 68 games, he’s been an absolute force for the Steelheads. His powerplay production is nothing to scoff at either as he’s shown a knack for phenomenal passes down near the net and along the circle to the half boards. He’s great with puck possession and he’s got pretty good size on him to win battles. His zone entries are his most endearing quality to me, reminding me a bit of Andreas Athanasiou and Dylan Larkin in Detroit with their patented speed through the neutral zone to catch flat footed defenders and push deep into the zone. I can’t understate how pinpoint accurate his shot has been, nor the impeccable vision he’s showcased every night in the OHL. His faceoffs have been consistently one of the best in his age group, also only behind his brother Mike at a convincing 54.3%. Of course, Mike is the player he’s most often compared to, but Ryan doesn’t use his body quite as much as his older brother.

A lot of the questions for him seem to come on defense. While he’s got the talent, the speed, and the stickwork to hang with his contemporaries, it drives me up a wall to see him puck watch when he’s not in position for a pass. He’s going to need to be more strict in his own zone, but I have full faith that he can do it. Perhaps playing for a team who runs a strict defensive scheme would be good for him as it would let him hone his skills in a more efficient way. I think this has caused his 5v5 play to drop too, but as he progresses on defense and using his physical ability, that will bring him up up to par. I think he would fit in as a solid top 6 center in the NHL.

Likely draft position: 20-25

Best fits in the NHL: San Jose, Ottawa, St. Louis

Player comparison(s): Mike McLeod, Andreas Athanasiou, Matt Barzal with worse defensive ability.