Michael McLeod (born February 3, 1998) is a Canadian professional ice hockey player who is a centre for Avangard Omsk of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). He was selected by the New Jersey Devils of the National Hockey League (NHL) in the first round, 12th overall, of the 2016 NHL entry draft. He made his NHL debut for the Devils during the 2019–20 NHL season and spent the next five years with New Jersey. In 2025, McLeod was legally acquitted after being charged in the 2018 Hockey Canada controversy and sexual assault.
Playing career
Junior McLeod played minor ice hockey with the Toronto Marlboros of the Greater Toronto Hockey League. In 2014, he led his team to capture the OHL Cup and was awarded the Tim Adams Memorial Trophy as OHL Cup's most valuable player.
McLeod was drafted by the Mississauga Steelheads of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) in the first round (fifth overall) of the 2014 OHL Priority Selection, and played for them beginning with the 2014–15 OHL season. McLeod was named an alternate captain during the 2015–16 OHL season and named the fifth captain of the Steelheads in the following 2016–17 season. During the 2016–17 season, McLeod was named OHL Player of the Week on February 27, 2017, after registering five goals and 11 points in three games.
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. On October 7, 2016, the Devils signed McLeod to a three-year, entry-level contract.
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.
On April 3, 2018, McLeod was assigned to the Binghamton Devils of the American Hockey League (AHL) following the conclusion of his OHL career. McLeod was recalled for the first time by New Jersey on November 29, 2018, following Jean-Sébastien Dea being picked up on waivers by the Pittsburgh Penguins. He made his NHL debut the following night in a 6–3 loss to the Washington Capitals, and was sent back to Binghamton the following day. McLeod got into 21 games with the Devils during the 2018–19 season, registering just three points (all assists). On January 27, 2021, McLeod scored his first NHL goal in a 5–3 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers, his 39th game.
McLeod set a career high in points in a season during the 2022–23 season, registering 26 points in 80 games. 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. He finished the playoffs with two goals and six points in 12 playoff games for the Devils.
McLeod signed a one-year, $1.4 million contract to stay with the Devils on July 1, 2023. On January 24, 2024, the Devils announced that McLeod and defenceman Cal Foote were granted indefinite leaves of absence from the team. 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.
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. 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.
On September 11, 2025, the NHL announced McLeod would be eligible to sign a contract on October 15, and would be eligible to return to play on December 1.
International play
McLeod was selected as the 13th forward to the Canada national junior team for the 2017 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships. After an injury to Mitchell Stephens, McLeod took his place on the active Canada roster. He was one of seven returning players for the 2018 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships.
On March 27, 2023, as part of the development of the sexual assault scandal, Hockey Canada announced that every member of Canada's 2018 World Junior team would be ineligible for all international competitions until investigations were complete. On August 12, 2026, Hockey Canada updated its suspensions and stated that due to a breach of conduct, McLeod would be suspended from international competitions through November 10, 2030.
Personal life McLeod is the older brother of Ryan McLeod, who is a member of the Buffalo Sabres. His other brother, Matt McLeod, plays for the Belfast Giants of the British Elite Ice Hockey League (EIHL). He is close friends with former Steelheads and Devils teammate Nathan Bastian.
On January 30, 2024, McLeod and four other teammates were charged with sexual assault after a 2018 alleged assault in London, Ontario. On February 5, the London Police Service announced that McLeod had been charged with two counts of sexual assault. The trial began in April 2025, and trial proceedings were declared a mistrial twice, before the jury was dismissed and the justice adjudicated the case herself. On July 24, 2025, he was acquitted on both charges.
Career statistics
Regular season and playoffs Regular seasonPlayoffs Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM 2013–14 Toronto Marlboros GTHL 33 21 36 57 20 16 10 5 15 24 2014–15 Mississauga Steelheads OHL 63 12 17 29 33 — — — — — 2015–16 Mississauga Steelheads OHL 57 21 40 61 71 7 3 6 9 6 2016–17 Mississauga Steelheads OHL 57 27 46 73 49 20 11 16 27 19 2017–18 Mississauga Steelheads OHL 38 16 28 44 34 6 6 4 10 11 2017–18 Binghamton Devils AHL 6 0 1 1 2 — — — — — 2018–19 Binghamton Devils AHL 55 6 27 33 43 — — — — — 2018–19 New Jersey Devils NHL 21 0 3 3 13 — — — — — 2019–20 Binghamton Devils AHL 47 8 15 23 59 — — — — — 2019–20 New Jersey Devils NHL 12 0 2 2 4 — — — — — 2020–21 New Jersey Devils NHL 52 9 6 15 42 — — — — — 2021–22 New Jersey Devils NHL 77 6 14 20 52 — — — — — 2022–23 New Jersey Devils NHL 80 4 22 26 43 12 2 4 6 15 2023–24 New Jersey Devils NHL 45 10 9 19 10 — — — — — 2024–25 Barys Astana KHL 16 3 3 6 16 — — — — — 2024–25 Avangard Omsk KHL 19 3 10 13 21 9 1 7 8 6 2025–26 Avangard Omsk KHL 55 22 26 48 37 17 1 10 11 6NHL totals 287 29 56 85 164 12 2 4 6 15KHL totals 90 28 39 67 74 26 2 17 19 12
International Year Team Event Result GP G A Pts PIM 2014 Canada Red U17 6th 5 0 1 1 2 2015 Canada IH18 4 1 1 2 2 2016 Canada U18 4th 7 2 2 4 2 2017 Canada WJC 7 2 1 3 2 2018 Canada WJC 7 1 3 4 2Junior totals 30 6 8 14 10
Awards and honours Award Year Ref Tim Adams Memorial Trophy 2014
References
External links