Oilers Rumors: Ryan McLeod To Be Traded This Season

As the Edmonton Oilers continue to struggle this season, moves are expected to be made. The team already sent down Jack Campbell due to ineffective play, but it's not likely they end there. Rumors have started to swirl that a young centerman who has struggled may be traded this season, either to help get the team goaltending or defensive help. That center is Ryan McLeod.

He has only recorded one assist this season despite averaging nearly 15 minutes a night of ice time. There is a bit less pressure on him in the bottom-six than there was on Jesse Puljujarvi and Kailer Yamamoto in the top-six, but the more the Oilers struggle to score, the more glaring a problem it becomes.

McLeod doesn't get the opportunity beside Connor McDavid or Leon Draisaitl that the two players I previously mentioned did. McLeod does well defensively and is very fast, but hasn't been able to convert in his young career thus far. Fortunately for the Oilers, he isn't being paid that much either and it may actually help in contract negotiations in the summer if he isn't dealt. The potential is there and the Oilers have regularly had a tough time getting scoring from their bottom-six. Trading him would only help facilitate a trade, not fix the bottom-six's lack of scoring.