8. Ryan McLeod – Centre (40th overall, 2018)
Ryan McLeod realized a childhood dream last month in Dallas when he officially donned the oil drop for the first time at the 2018 NHL Draft. Despite growing up in Southern Ontario, McLeod has been a big Oilers fan since he was six-year-old when his favorite player and Oilers legend Ryan Smyth helped lead Edmonton to the 2006 Stanley Cup Final.
Oilers fans are going to love this kid. Like Benson, McLeod was a projected first-round pick, who surprisingly fell to the Oilers in the second-round. The 18-year-old led his hometown Mississauga Steelheads in assists (44) and finished third on the team in goals (26) and third in points (70) in 68 games in 2017-18.
The 6-foot-2, 205-pound centre has excellent hockey IQ and passing ability, a large frame and impressive speed. Some question marks are surrounding his willingness to engage physically and go hard to the net to score the odd greasy goal like his hero Smyth did throughout his NHL career. But, more importantly, he has the natural ability to make it to the next level.
McLeod has an excellent shot to make Team Canada at the 2019 IIHF World Junior Championship, where he could be reunited with fellow Oilers draft pick Bouchard for the first time since the 2016 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament. McLeod will surely need another year in the OHL before turning pro in the AHL in 2019-20.