Washington Capitals’ 2023 first-round selection (eighth overall) Ryan Leonard is in town for development camp along with other prospects. Some fans have wondered after this past season with the Boston College Eagles if Leonard would leave school and ink a contract with the Capitals. That topic was discussed when Leonard met with the media during development camp interviews. Sammi Silber of The Hockey News discussed that press meeting in one of her latest articles. “Leonard said on Wednesday that he has not reconsidered his decision regarding taking the next step with the Capitals, and the plan is to return to the NCAA and try to win a championship,” Silber wrote.
Apparently, as Silber wrote in her piece, the Capitals did reach out to him about joining the team. “The 19-year-old said the Capitals offered him an entry-level contract after clinching a spot in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. However, after speaking to his family and agent, he chose to keep taking the college route and turned down the offer,” she stated.
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While some fans may not be thrilled that Leonard has not signed his entry-level contract (ELC) with the Capitals yet, spending another season at Boston College will not hurt anything. Leonard will eventually make the jump to the NHL. Here is what his hockey journey has looked like so far.
Leonard’s Career Path and Season at Boston College
Before being drafted by the Capitals in 2023, Leonard grew his game in the United States Hockey League with the United States National Team Development Program (USNTDP). Being able to play for a solid program like the USNTDP is stellar. They have played a role in helping develop several players who have gone into the NHL. Some examples are Auston Matthews of the Toronto Maple Leafs, Patrick Kane of the Detroit Red Wings, Jack Hughes of the New Jersey Devils, and Jack Eichel of the Vegas Golden Knights.
Leonard donned the jersey for the U.S. National U17 and U18 teams, as well as the junior squad in the USHL. During his few seasons in that program, Leonard posted the following stats:
- 2021-22 USNTDP Juniors (USHL): 10 goals and five assists for 15 points in 33 games
- 2021-22 U.S. National U17 Team (NTDP): 10 goals and 10 assists for 20 points in 26 games
- 2021-22 U.S. National U18 Team (NTDP): 16 goals and seven assists for 23 points in 36 games
- 2022-23 USNTDP Juniors (USHL): 11 goals and nine assists for 20 points in 17 games
- 2022-23 U.S. National U18 Team (NTDP): 51 goals and 43 assists for 94 points in 57 games
Leonard then spent the 2023-24 hockey campaign at Boston College with the Eagles. He joined a historic hockey program with alumni having made a serious impact in the NHL including Alex Tuch (Buffalo Sabres), Thatcher Demko (Vancouver Canucks), Johnny Gaudreau (Columbus Blue Jackets), and Chris Kreider (New York Rangers) among others. They have a solid reputation of developing quality NHL talents, and Leonard can be the next one on the list if he continues to improve his skills and eventually transition his game to the American Hockey League and NHL levels.
For the Eagles, Leonard accrued 60 points in 41 NCAA games, specifically 31 goals and 29 assists. He was one of the top offensive forces for the program, and he will only grow more with another NCAA campaign under his belt in 2024-25.
On a side note, Leonard was able to suit up for Team USA in the 2024 IIHF World Championship. He played alongside current NHL talents in Joel Farabee (Philadelphia Flyers), Brady Tkachuk (Ottawa Senators), Matt Boldy (Minnesota Wild), and Trevor Zegras (Anaheim Ducks). Being able to play with and against NHL players will only benefit Leonard, and he will know more of what to expect when he finally is in the Capitals’ lineup and ready to play in his first NHL game.
Capitals Playing the Long Game
There is no need to rush Leonard out of school. The Capitals have a lot of talent already in their forward ranks, and spending a little more time at Boston College will only help Leonard’s development. More roster spots will be open for him to make the team in the coming seasons anyway. The forward group as things stand is a bit crowded, which is a great problem for the organization. The team is still trying to do the best they can to win one more Stanley Cup championship during the Alex Ovechkin Era.
Until the time comes, Washington can look forward to a stacked team that includes Ovechkin, Tom Wilson, John Carlson, Pierre-Luc Dubois, Matt Roy, Andrew Mangiapane, and Jakob Chychrun among others for 2024-25. Capitals management can check back in with Leonard following this next hockey campaign, and maybe he will be ready to sign his ELC then.
