Cody McLeod
McLeod with the Colorado Avalanche in 2014
Born (1984-06-26) June 26, 1984
Binscarth, Manitoba, Canada
Height 6 ft 2 in (188 cm)
Weight 210 lb (95 kg; 15 st 0 lb)
Position Left wing
Shot Left
Played for Colorado Avalanche
Nashville Predators
New York Rangers
NHL Draft Undrafted
Playing career 2005–2022

Wesley Cody McLeod (born June 26, 1984) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey winger currently serving as a player development coach for the Minnesota Wild of the National Hockey League. As an undrafted player, McLeod previously played in the National Hockey League for the Colorado Avalanche, Nashville Predators, and New York Rangers. McLeod was best known for his role as a tough, physical forward.

Playing career

McLeod was a fourth-round WHL Bantam Draft pick for the Portland Winterhawks in 1999.[1] In the 2004–05 season, his fourth and final year with the Winterhawks, he scored 31 goals and 60 points.

Undrafted and looking to turn pro, McLeod attended the Boston Bruins training camp in the summer of 2005.[2] McLeod was then reassigned to affiliate, the Providence Bruins training camp on September 17, 2005, before ultimately leaving without a contract.[3] McLeod was signed by the Lowell Lock Monsters of the AHL for the 2005–06. He spent his first full professional season with the Monsters and their ECHL affiliate, the San Diego Gulls.

McLeod with the Colorado Avalanche in December 2013

The Colorado Avalanche, as the parent club of the Monsters, signed McLeod to his first NHL contract with the Avalanche on July 6, 2006.[4] After the Avalanche training camp for the 2006–07 season, Mcleod was assigned to new affiliate the Albany River Rats on September 19, 2006.[5]

In the 2007–08 season, McLeod received his first NHL recall on December 16, 2007.[6] He made his NHL debut with the Avalanche on December 19, 2007, in a 2–1 loss against the Anaheim Ducks.[7] A week later, on December 27, he scored his first NHL goal against Dominik Hašek of the Detroit Red Wings in a 4–2 loss.[8] McLeod dressed and played for every remaining Avalanche game after he was called up from the Lake Erie Monsters. McLeod became the first Avalanche rookie in history to record over 100 penalty minutes.[9]

McLeod gained notoriety on April 27, 2008, the second game of the second round of the 2008 Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Detroit Red Wings by picking up the traditional octopus thrown onto the ice in the Joe Louis Arena and throwing it into the stands.[9] McLeod scored his first playoff goal also against the Red Wings in game three on April 29, 2008. With an impressive debut season with Colorado, McLeod was re-signed by the Avalanche to a one-year deal on July 14, 2008.[10]

In the 2008–09 season, McLeod sustained a shoulder injury in a 3–2 home loss against Detroit on March 4, 2009, causing him to miss three straight games. He ended the season third in goals on the Avs with 15, behind only Ryan Smyth and Milan Hejduk. McLeod's 162 penalty minutes were just one minute shy of team-leading Ian Laperrière. McLeod was re-signed by the Avalanche to a 3-year deal on June 19, 2009.[11]

The 2011–12 season saw McLeod set a franchise record becoming the only player in Quebec/Colorado history to register at least 100 PIMs in five consecutive seasons.[12] Behind only Paul Stastny and Milan Hejduk in terms of tenure currently with the club, the Avs signed the pending unrestricted free agent to another three-year contract on June 4, 2012.[13] He was suspended five games in 2013–14 for a hit-from-behind on Detroit Red Wings defenceman Niklas Kronwall in which Kronwall received a concussion.[14]

With Paul Stastny signing with the Blues prior to the 2014–15 season, McLeod became the current longest-tenured member of the Avalanche also serving as the club's alternate captain between 2012 and 2016. On September 30, 2014, McLeod agreed to a three-year contract extension to remain with Colorado.[15]

In the 2016–17 season, his 10th with the Avalanche, McLeod saw limited playing time and was reduced to a depth role amongst the forwards. With the Avalanche suffering as the league's worst team through the midpoint of the season, McLeod's tenure with the club ended as he was traded to the Nashville Predators in exchange for Félix Girard on January 13, 2017.[16] He left having played in 659 games, leading the Avalanche franchise with 1359 penalty minutes. McLeod remained in Denver, making his Predators debut the following day against his previous club. He scored his first goal with the Predators and fought against former teammate Jarome Iginla, sparking a 3–2 victory over the Avalanche on January 14, 2017.[17]

In the 2017–18 season, McLeod was used in rotation on the fourth line by the Predators. He posted 1 goal and 1 assist in 23 games before he was placed and later claimed off waivers by the New York Rangers on January 25, 2018.[18] He made his debut with the Rangers against the Toronto Maple Leafs, recording a game and Rangers season-high 8 hits on February 1, 2018. Adding his physicality and veteran presence to the rebuilding Rangers, he played out the season contributing with 2 assists in 25 games.

As a free agent in the off-season, McLeod agreed to remain with the Rangers, securing a one-year, $650,000 contract on July 12, 2018.[19]

During the 2018–19 season, McLeod suffered a fractured hand in a fight against New York Islanders enforcer Ross Johnston on November 21, 2018.[20] After 31 games with the Rangers, on February 6, he was traded back to the Nashville Predators for a 7th-round pick in 2020.[21]

On August 26, 2019, the Minnesota Wild's AHL affiliate Iowa Wild signed McLeod to a standard AHL player contract.[22] Entering his 16th professional year, McLeod appeared in 21 games for Iowa in the 2019–20 season collecting seven points and 41 PIM. Adding a positive veteran presence, McLeod signed a one-year extension with Iowa on July 13, 2020.[23]

Following his third season with the Iowa Wild, captaining the club in the 2021–22 campaign, McLeod announced his retirement to end his 17-year professional career on July 11, 2022. He accepted a role within the Minnesota Wild coaching staff as a player development coach.[24]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GPGAPtsPIM GPGAPtsPIM
2001–02 Portland Winter Hawks WHL 471031386 50000
2002–03 Portland Winter Hawks WHL 71151833153 711213
2003–04 Waywayseecappo Wolverines MJHL 10000 —————
2003–04 Portland Winter Hawks WHL 69131831227 52246
2004–05 Portland Winter Hawks WHL 70312960195 70338
2004–05 Adirondack Frostbite UHL 10000 500011
2005–06 Lowell Lock Monsters AHL 3345987 —————
2005–06 San Diego Gulls ECHL 1645948 221314
2006–07 Albany River Rats AHL 7311819180 50004
2007–08 Lake Erie Monsters AHL 276713101 —————
2007–08 Colorado Avalanche NHL 49459120 1011226
2008–09 Colorado Avalanche NHL 7915520162 —————
2009–10 Colorado Avalanche NHL 7471118138 60005
2010–11 Colorado Avalanche NHL 71538189 —————
2011–12 Colorado Avalanche NHL 756511164 —————
2012–13 Colorado Avalanche NHL 48841283 —————
2013–14 Colorado Avalanche NHL 715813122 710122
2014–15 Colorado Avalanche NHL 827512191 —————
2015–16 Colorado Avalanche NHL 828513138 —————
2016–17 Colorado Avalanche NHL 2810152 —————
2016–17 Nashville Predators NHL 3141593 1510127
2017–18 Nashville Predators NHL 2311272 —————
2017–18 New York Rangers NHL 2502239 —————
2018–19 New York Rangers NHL 3110160 —————
2018–19 Nashville Predators NHL 70007 —————
2019–20 Iowa Wild AHL 2143741 —————
2020–21 Iowa Wild AHL 3022493 —————
2021–22 Iowa Wild AHL 59448141 —————
NHL totals 77672551271630 3831480

References

  1. ↑ "Portland Winterhawks Bantam Drafts". winterhawks.com. 2006-05-02. Retrieved 2009-03-23.
  2. ↑ "Bruins training camp preview". hockeysfuture.com. 2005-09-08. Retrieved 2009-03-23.
  3. ↑ "Bruins re-assign 13 players from training camp". bruins.nhl.com. 2005-09-17. Retrieved 2009-03-23.
  4. ↑ "McLeod's bio". nhl.com. 2006-07-06. Retrieved 2009-03-23.
  5. ↑ "Avalanche trims roster to 35". avalanche.nhl.com. 2006-09-19. Archived from the original on 2011-10-02. Retrieved 2009-03-23.
  6. ↑ "Avalanche recalls McLeod". avalanche.nhl.com. 2007-12-16. Archived from the original on 2008-06-23. Retrieved 2009-03-23.
  7. ↑ "Schneider scores in overtime to lift Ducks over Avalanche". cbssports.com. 2007-12-19. Retrieved 2009-03-23.
  8. ↑ "Filppula makes it back-to-back games with two goals for Red Wings". cbssports.com. 2007-12-27. Retrieved 2009-03-23.
  9. 1 2 "Ignorance is bliss for McLeod". mlive.com. 2008-04-30. Retrieved 2009-03-23.
  10. ↑ "Avalanche re-signs McLeod, McCormick". Colorado Avalanche. 2008-07-14. Archived from the original on 2008-08-25. Retrieved 2009-03-23.
  11. ↑ Dater, Adrian (2009-06-21). "Three-year deal given to McLeod". Denver Post. Retrieved 2009-06-21.
  12. ↑ "Predators rally, finish off Avs in OT". CBS Sports. 2012-01-12. Retrieved 2012-06-04.
  13. ↑ Dater, Adrian (2012-06-04). "Cody McLeod signs new $3.45 million deal with Colorado Avalanche". Denver Post. Retrieved 2012-06-04.
  14. ↑ NHL.com (2013-10-21), Avalanche's McLeod suspended five games, NHL, retrieved 2013-10-21
  15. ↑ "Avalanche signs McLeod, Stuart to extensions". Colorado Avalanche. 2014-09-30. Retrieved 2014-09-30.
  16. ↑ "Avalanche ship Cody McLeod to Nashville". Denver Post. 2017-01-13. Retrieved 2017-01-13.
  17. ↑ "Cody McLeod helps Predators defeat Avalanche". National Hockey League. 2017-01-14. Retrieved 2017-01-14.
  18. ↑ "Rangers Claim Forward Cody McLeod". New York Rangers. January 25, 2018. Retrieved January 25, 2018.
  19. ↑ "Rangers agree to terms with Cody McLeod". New York Rangers. 2018-07-12. Retrieved 2018-07-12.
  20. ↑ "Rangers' Cody McLeod out long term". CBS Sports. 2018-11-21. Retrieved 2018-11-12.
  21. ↑ "Predators get Boyle from Devils, McLeod from Rangers". The Sports Network. 2019-02-06. Retrieved 2019-02-06.
  22. ↑ "Iowa Wild signs three to AHL contracts". Iowa Wild. Retrieved 26 August 2019.
  23. ↑ "Iowa re-signs forward Cody McLeod". Iowa Wild. July 13, 2020. Retrieved July 13, 2020.
  24. ↑ "Portland to the Pros: Cody McLeod announces retirement". Portland Winter Hawks. July 12, 2022. Retrieved July 12, 2022.
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