Practice Report | McLeod enjoying career year for Sabres

KEARNS, Utah – Ryan McLeod was taken aback by the size of the 400-meter speed-skating track inside the Utah Olympic Oval, the site of the Buffalo Sabres’ practice on Wednesday.

Presented with the fact that the fastest lap recorded on a 400-meter oval was 23.92 seconds (set by Jenning de Boo in the very same complex just two months ago), McLeod was surprised once again.

“To get all the way around it? I don’t think I could even get close to that,” McLeod said.

McLeod may not have Olympic speed skating in his future, but the Sabres’ centerman – advertised as one of the fastest skaters in the NHL when the team acquired him from Edmonton last summer – has put his skating to good use in what’s been a career year.

The 25-year-old has already set career highs in goals (15), assists (22), and points (37) with 16 games still left to play. He’s been a fixture on the Buffalo penalty kill and, more recently, on the power play. And, despite leading Sabres forwards in defensive-zone starts at even strength, he ranks second on the team with a plus-10 rating.

“It’s been fun,” McLeod said. “Learning to grow my game, learning to play in different situations. I’m really enjoying it right now.”

McLeod has played a particularly vital role of late as the Sabres navigate injuries to three core members of their forward group in JJ Peterka, Josh Norris, and Jiri Kulich. (Peterka, who has missed the last three games with a lower-body injury, is expected to return to the lineup on Thursday.)

McLeod skated a career-high 23:57 in the Sabres’ overtime victory in Boston on Monday, in which he delivered the primary assist on Owen Power’s game-tying goal in regulation. It was his fourth time eclipsing 20 minutes of ice time in the past six games.

The previous game against Vegas, McLeod skated 22:05 and used his speed to create two goals. He scored the first himself, rushing behind the defense off a center-ice draw and burying a shot from the left dot. (It was one of 16 faceoff wins by McLeod that night, the highest total by a Sabres player this season.)

McLeod then created a power-play goal for Jason Zucker by rushing to pressure Golden Knights defenseman Alex Pietrangelo behind the Vegas net. Pietrangelo’s attempted breakout pass went directly onto Zucker’s tape in the slot.

All told, McLeod has six points (1+5) in the last six games and carries a four-game point streak in Thursday's matchup with Utah.

“He’s a fun to play with,” said Zucker, also a frequent linemate of McLeod’s at even strength. “He’s a heck of a player. His skating is second to none. It’s incredible. Playing with him makes the game a lot easier because he’s lugging the puck up the middle, making great plays. He’s doing a heck of a job.”

Here’s more from Wednesday’s practice.

1. Peterka practiced in his usual spot on the top line alongside Tage Thompson and Alex Tuch. Jordan Greenway, who had been filling in for Peterka on that line, moved to the left wing alongside Peyton Krebs and Jack Quinn.

Here’s how the group lined up in full:

2. The Utah Olympic Oval was built for the 2002 Winter Olympic Games in Salt Lake City and continues to serve as headquarters for USA Speedskating. The 400-meter oval surrounds two ice sheets: one that is NHL-sized and used by the Utah Hockey Club and visiting teams for practice, plus an Olympic-sized sheet.

It’s a unique setting for an NHL practice – and an impermanent one, given the fact that Utah will move to a more traditional practice facility beginning next season. The Sabres took advantage of their surroundings as they trickled out of the dressing room before practice, with several players and coaches taking twirls around the long track.

Then, at the start of practice, Sabres coach Lindy Ruff sent the full team for a lap.

“It is something different,” Ruff said. “I don’t know how many guys get a chance to go on the oval and experience the endurance you need to skate the number of laps they skate and the races they skate in.”

Ruff took a lap of his own after practice, still catching his breath as he walked toward the dressing room to do his post-practice media. His official time: 1:11.62.

3. The Sabres will move to Delta Center for their first ever game in Salt Lake City on Thursday. While the team has been forgoing morning skates more often lately amid a busy late-season schedule, Ruff said the team will hit the ice to take note of their surroundings – things like ice quality and the liveliness of the boards.

“We will morning skate tomorrow, just for the fact we haven’t been in the arena,” Ruff said. “Get 15 minutes in, get our touches and get everybody comfortable with being in the building.”

Up next

The Sabres play the Utah Hockey Club on Thursday. Coverage on MSG begins at 8:30 p.m. with puck drop scheduled for 9.