Edmonton Oilers forward Ryan McLeod’s arbitration hearing date is set for August 4th

An arbitration date for Edmonton Oilers forward Ryan McLeod has been set.

The 23-year-old forward is coming off a one-year deal paying him $798,000, and is a restricted free agent. Just last week he filed for salary arbitration.

This isn’t the first time that Oilers forwards have filed for arbitration. Just as recently as last offseason, Jesse Puljujarvi and Kailer Yamamoto had filed for arbitration, but both players inked new contracts before their hearing dates.

With McLeod having filed for arbitration, it makes him ineligible for receiving an offer sheet unlike teammate Evan Bouchard, who doesn’t have arbitration rights.

The Oilers drafted Mcleod in the second round of the 2018 draft and he has been on an upward trajectory ever since. He returned for his final season in the OHL with the Mississauga Steelheads before turning pro with the AHL’s Bakersfield Condors.

Between 2019-20 and 2020-21, McLeod saw the majority of his time with the Condors appearing in 91 games scoring 20 goals and 56 points. After earning a spot with the Oilers out of training camp in 2021-22, McLeod struggled early in the season and was sent down to the Condors. Over a seven-game stint, he scored one goal and five points quickly earning himself a recall.

He returned to Edmonton a new player and over the last two years has gotten only better and better. This past season he scored 11 goals and 23 points — both career highs — in 57 games played as his per-game rates flourished. With him on the ice last season at 5×5, the Oilers controlled 53.94 percent of the shot attempts, 55.35 percent of the expected goal share and 55.89 percent of the scoring chances. He outscored his opposition 27-26.

McLeod has developed into a strong third-line center, a valuable position for any club with Stanley Cup aspirations like the Oilers have.

Zach Laing is the Nation Network’s news director and senior columnist. He can be followed on Twitter at @zjlaing, or reached by email at zach@oilersnation.com.