Future begins to unfold for Nelson's Isaac MacLeod
By The Nelson Daily Sports
Nelson Minor Hockey grad Isaac MacLeod has landed a contract to play professional hockey next season.
However, the final resting place for the 22-year-old defenceman remains up in the air.
The Boston College Eagle grad, drafted 136th overall — fifth round — by San Jose Sharks in the 2010 NHL draft, is hopeful when all the dust has settled, the 6’5”, 212 pound mobile rearguard will be part of the Columbus BlueJackets squad that will be playing in the 2014 NHL Prospects Tournament in Traverse City, Michigan.
“(Playing in the tournament) will be great for exposure for me and the chance for me to see the level of other rookie players,” MacLeod said.
The NHL Prospects Tournament runs from Sept. 12-16.
The eight-team tournament includes prospects from the Detroit Red Wings, Buffalo Sabres, Carolina Hurricanes, Columbus Blue Jackets, Dallas Stars, Minnesota Wild, New York Rangers and St. Louis Blues.
However, getting MacLeod to the tournament has not been finalized yet.
Currently MacLeod is property of Elmira Jackals of the East Coast Hockey League.
But to get to play in the Prospects Game, the Business major needs to have a deal worked out between the BlueJackets ECHL affiliate in Kalamazoo and Elmira.
If the deal is completed, MacLeod could have a two-way contract between between the American Hockey League team in Springfield and the ECHL affiliate in Kalamazoo.
“So I’ll most likely be starting in the east coast and hoping to get a call up to Springfield at some point and play some games,” MacLeod said.
MacLeod played minor hockey in Nelson before joining the Nelson Leafs of the KIJHL, helping the Green and White to the 2009 league title.
He then played two seasons in Penticton in the BC Hockey League before getting a scholarship with Boston College.
During his senior season at Boston College, MacLeod served as an assistant captain while playing all 40 games for the Eagles.
He tallied 11 assists with four of the points coming 20 Hockey East contests, finished with a plus-8 rating and set Patrick Brown up with the game-winning goal to help Boston College clinch its fifth-consecutive Beanpot title.
Off the ice, MacLeod won the William J. Flynn Coaches Award captured the Academic Excellence Award as the senior with the highest grade point average.
