Devils general manager Ray Shero knew his team needed to restock its prospect pool after four straight seasons out of the playoffs. So with a couple of good options still on the draft board during Friday’s first round, Shero found a way to add another pick without losing much.
The Devils traded their No. 11-overall pick for the Senators’ No. 12-overall pick, plus a third-rounder, No. 80 overall, to come Saturday. The Senators must have loved young Canadian center Logan Brown, whom they selected at 11. And Shero must have been confident the player he wanted would still be there one pick later, as he took Michael McLeod, an 18-year-old center from Mississauga, Ontario.
At 6-foot-2, 187 pounds, McLeod was once considered a top-five pick, racking up 61 points in 57 games for OHL Mississauga last season. But speculation is he dropped because of fears of his hockey sense. Yet there seems to be no doubting his speed and skill, and he is touted as a two-way player with terrific puck handling skills.
When asked about his best assets, McLeod told reporters in Buffalo: “My speed, energy, ability to play a two-way game. I need to put on weight, 10-15 pounds, and keep working on my shot.”
As often happens, McLeod was asked to compare his game to a current NHL player, and he mentioned the Ducks’ Ryan Kesler, known for his size and skill and defensive tenacity.
Yet as the draft wore on, so did McLeod’s nerves.
“Every pick was tense, my heart was racing,” he said. “I couldn’t be more excited.”
Shero and Devils are now entering rounds 2-7 on Saturday with nine picks, including three in the third round and two in the fourth.