At Development Camp, Ryan Leonard spoke about the wrenching decision to spurn a contract offer from the Washington Capitals after his freshman season concluded with Boston College. Then Capitals’ GM Brian MacLellan approached Leonard to join the team in late April a day after the Caps beat the Flyers in Game 82 of the 2023-24 campaign and qualified for the playoffs.
“That night when it happened, I didn’t go to sleep til probably 3 or 4 in the morning, and I had class the next day,” Leonard said at MedStar Capitals Iceplex in early July. “I just had no idea what to do.” Leonard talked to his family and leaned on his brother John, a veteran of 70 NHL games, to guide him on what to do. He made a pros and cons list, eventually deciding to return to college for his sophomore season.
The Capitals’ top prospect — a first-round pick (eighth overall) from the 2023 NHL Draft — is now participating in the World Junior Summer Showcase, which will help determine the rosters for the United States, Canada, Finland and Sweden at the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship. The scrimmages and practices are being held in Plymouth, Michigan at USA Hockey Arena. Leonard was one of 46 players chosen by USA Hockey to participate.
While there, the young forward suggested in an interview that if things went differently in the NCAA national championship game — Boston College lost a heartbreaker to Denver 2-0 — he would have strongly considered leaving school then.
“We have some unfinished business, honestly,” Leonard said to NHL.com. “Maybe if our game against Denver goes the other way, it could have been a little bit different and I could have played the end of the season with the Capitals. But Washington has been really supportive. They told me whenever I was ready, they’d be grateful and happy. Leaving my team after losing that last game against Denver was just something I couldn’t do.”
Leonard ended his first season in the NCAA with 60 points (31g, 29a) in 40 games, scoring the third most goals in the country. His 31 tallies broke the Boston College record for most goals by a freshman, overtaking Brian Gionata’s mark of 30 set in 1998. .
The loss in the NCAA championship game wasn’t the only thing that bothered Leonard. Boston College was unable to capture the Beanpot last season — a prestigious hockey tournament pitting the four best Boston area colleges against each other. BC lost to Boston University in the championship game 4-3.
“We were 2-for-4 in 2023-24, winning the regular-season crown and Hockey East Tournament but we lost the Beanpot and the national championship game so, obviously, you want to go 4-for-4,” Leonard said. “On top of that, I just want to fine-tune my game and know that’ll help me at the next level.”
Boston College is expected to be favorites again in 2025. The projected number-one overall pick in the 2025 NHL Draft, James Hagens, could end up playing on a line with Leonard.
Leonard plans to sign with the Capitals after next season is completed, beginning what could be an electric career in the NHL.
“My whole plan the whole time was two years and then come [to Washington], but I had no idea they were actually going to offer me (a contract),” Leonard said. “I thought, like, that was the plan from the start that I set last year.”
He added though, “I want to be a part of the team that wins Boston College another national championship.”
