Oilers, McLeod avoid arbitration with 2-year, $4.2M deal

The Edmonton Oilers avoided arbitration with restricted free-agent center Ryan McLeod, agreeing on a two-year contract carrying an average annual value of $2.1 million, the team announced Tuesday.

McLeod was set to have an arbitration hearing Aug. 4. He'll remain an RFA with arbitration rights after the end of his new deal.

The 23-year-old recorded a career-high 11 goals and 23 points in 57 games with the Oilers last season while serving primarily as the team's third-line center. He averaged 14:11 per contest and won 48.2% of his faceoffs.

McLeod has posted strong underlying numbers defensively, both at five-on-five and on the penalty kill, throughout his three-year career:

The Oilers drafted McLeod 40th overall in 2018.

Defenseman Evan Bouchard is Edmonton's lone remaining RFA. The club has $3.5 million left in cap space, per CapFriendly.