Michael McLeod Undergoes Successful Surgery

Michael McLeod’s addition to the roster seemed inevitable at the beginning of the preseason, as his strong showing in the OHL playoffs hinted that he would be a perfect fit for this fast, attacking, and supportive system. For this reason, despite being overshadowed by some other youngsters in camp and preseason, the New Jersey Devils decided to take a chance and add him to the roster under an injured reserve designation after he went down at the Barclays Center in a preseason contest on September 25th.

For the longest time, the Devils utilized the classic designation of “lower body injury” so his timetable was relatively unknown, although he did not look that good hobbling off the ice in that game.

Seems like there’s an answer now for both the nature of the injury and how much time he will miss:

It’s a torn meniscus for the 2016 12th overall pick and former Mississauga Steelhead, the same injury that Taylor Hall suffered early last season. His recovery time is listed at 4-6 weeks, so he’ll be on injured reserve until he is healthy enough to compete for a spot again. So far, the team is clicking on all cylinders, but Devils fans probably envision a world where his blazing speed only complements the surprisingly quick start that the Devils have had. He may have to adjust his position, as his return timetable puts him a few weeks before Travis Zajac’s, creating a logjam down the middle. However, the Devils will not be afraid to try him on the wing. Given the current infusion of youth and speed, McLeod’s return will come with open arms. For now, we’ve got someone else from the 2016 draft capturing our collective attention (one Jesper Bratt), but the more youngsters the merrier and before Nico Hischier’s arrival, McLeod was the crown prospect jewel.

It’s relieving to know that the surgery went with no setbacks and that the Devils will keep him around to be exposed to team meetings and to promote his growth as an NHL player.

Here’s to a speedy recovery!