The Oakville Blades have acquired forward Matt McLeod from the Toronto Lakeshore Patriots.
Committed to the Canisius College Golden Griffins for 2015, McLeod is skating in his first full OJHL season following a success midget career with the North York Rangers and Mississauga Rebels AAA clubs. McLeod recorded two assists during 11 regular season games with the Patriots during a limited stint with the club in 2012-2013, and even skated in six post-season contests with the team. McLeod has had a strong start to the 2013-2014 campaign, scoring eight goals and nine assists in twenty-nine games during his rookie season.
Drafted 105th overall by the Barrie Colts in the 2012 OHL Priority Selection, McLeod is described as a gritty, fast skating forward with traits similar to Ales Hemsky and Mikko Koivu. McLeod joins fellow centre's Kris Bennett, Ross Sloan, Sean Perichak, Jackson Bales and Christian Rajic, creating a fairly strong core up the middle for the Blades.
McLeod is not expected to join the Blades until Sunday when Oakville travels to Pickering in a rematch of Friday night's contest which saw Pickering take home the come from behind victory.