BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — Ryan McLeod used his best year as a pro to get a new deal with the Buffalo Sabres. On Tuesday, McLeod signed a four-year contract with the Sabres with an average value of $5M per season. McLeod was a restricted free agent and had been given a qualifying offer by the team on Monday before agreeing to his new deal.
In his first and only season with the Sabres, McLeod scored 20 goals and added 33 assists (53 points) in 79 games. The 25-year-old forward played nearly 17 minutes a night and had his most productive season as a pro.
McLeod slots into the Sabres' lineup as their third-line center with position flexibility to also move to the wing. Last season, McLeod was a strong penalty killer and provided consistent secondary scoring.
With this new deal in place, the Sabres still have about $14 million in salary cap space.
Bove's Take:
This is a good deal for both sides. It's actually a bit more team-friendly on the Sabres side than I was anticipating. McLeod had a contract projection of $4.9 million per season according to AFPAnalytics, so this barely tops what he was expected to get as a restricted free agent.
McLeod is still young and has the potential to grow his game, but even if he produces consistently at the level he did last season, he'll be well worth $5 million per season, especially with a rising salary cap.
