How's McLeod doing? I haven't heard anything about him in a while
He'll be nothing more than a bottom 6 at best. No matter what when you watch him, you see a guy who works hard but just nothing comes of it.
He dumps it in and goes in for the hit? Doesn't matter the defenseman already got it out or up the boards to the winger.He uses his speed to gain entry to the zone? He drops the puck for the trailing winger but in his skates or out of their reach. He has an open shot? He whiffs or shoots high.
His work ethic will get him into the NHL, but he simply just needs to gain muscle and be more assertive to carve out a defense-first crash and bang type role. He's not afraid to hit, he's just missing that extra "oomph"; that extra factor to round his game out. I'm thinking its mental and that was the biggest criticism of him in his draft year. "Does his mind match the speed his body plays?" Short answer = hell no.
He looked great in preseason and could really push for a 4th line, and probably hold his own, but there is zero chance he becomes a top 6 guy in the NHL.