At long last, the Capitals have signed forward Ryan Leonard to a three-year, entry-level contract, as the BC standout gets set to make his NHL debut.
Leonard arrives in DC almost two years after being selected by the Capitals back in the first round of the 2023 NHL entry draft, the franchise’s highest draft pick since Karl Alzner was selected fifth overall back in 2007. He won back-to-back golds with Team USA at the World Junior Championship (the second one as team captain) and finished his sophomore season at Boston College with an NCAA-leading 30 goals, nine of which were game winners. Leonard was also named Hockey East’s Player of the Year and First Team All-Conference, and is a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award honoring college hockey’s best player.
Here are just a few of his highlights from this year’s World Juniors:
Here’s what The Athletic’s prospect expert, Scott Wheeler, had to say about Leonard:
Leonard is a prospect whom everyone likes. It’s impossible not to. He’s a versatile, powerful, high-RPM player who makes things happen when he’s on the ice and who pulls teammates into the fight with his scrappy, competitive, never-stop style. He’s not just the energy guy or a battler, though. He’s got really quick side-to-side hands, a hard NHL shot that rattles off his stick and quick crossover patterns that allow him to use those hands to get to places where he can look to shoot. He’ll flash one-on-one skill pulling pucks through his feet and around defenders. His focus is on getting to the interior and he attacks there fearlessly with a sturdy stride. He’ll take a beating over the course of games and keep sticking his nose in every battle/continue to attack into contact. Add in strength, power, a strong build, an ability to drive and shed contact when he gets bumped and a defensive conscience and there’s more than just a hands-shot-worker skill set, too.
Here’s Hockey Prospecting on Leonard (note: last updated late February):
More from the team:
ARLINGTON, Va. – The Washington Capitals have signed forward Ryan Leonard to a three-year entry-level contract, senior vice president and general manager Chris Patrick announced today. Leonard ‘s contract will carry an average annual value of $950,000.
The Capitals selected Leonard with the eighth overall pick in the 2023 NHL Draft.
Leonard, 20, recorded 49 points (30g, 19a) in 37 games with Boston College (NCAA) this season. The 6’0”, 200-pound forward led the nation in goals and became the first NCAA player with back-to-back 30-goal seasons since Boston College’s Cam Atkinson in 2009-10 and 2010-11. In addition, Leonard led the NCAA in game-winning goals (9) and ranked 10th in the country in points. Leonard is one of 10 finalists for this year’s Hobey Baker Memorial Award, given to the top NCAA men’s ice hockey player in the nation. The Amherst, Massachusetts native was also named Hockey East Player of the Year and a Hockey East First Team All-Star after leading the conference in scoring.
During his freshman season at Boston College in 2023-24, Leonard registered 60 points (31g, 29a) in 41 games. Leonard led the team in plus-minus (+35) and ranked second on the Eagles in goals (29) and third in points (58) during the regular season before adding six points (4g, 2a) in four NCAA Tournament games to help Boston College reach the National Championship game. Leonard’s 31 goals as a freshman set a program record for first-year players and he became just the fourth Boston College freshman to record 60 points. Leonard finished the 2023-24 season ranked third in the NCAA in goals and tied for fourth in points and was named a Second Team East All-American by the American Hockey Coaches Association.
Leonard finishes his collegiate career with 109 points (61g, 48a) in 78 games played.
In January, Leonard led Team USA to its second straight gold medal at the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship, the United States’ first back-to-back World Junior gold medals in the history of the tournament. Leonard, the U.S. captain, was named tournament MVP and Best Forward after recording 10 points (5g, 5a) in seven games. Leonard recorded two primary assists in the gold medal game against Finland to help the Americans overcome a 3-1 deficit en route to a 4-3 overtime win. Leonard, a two-time World Junior gold medalist, has recorded 16 points (8g, 8a) in 14 career World Junior games, including eight points (4g, 4a) in six elimination games, five points (2g, 3a) in four medal round games and three points (1g, 2a) in two gold medal games.
Leonard also represented the United States at the 2024 IIHF Men’s World Championship, where he appeared in six games and recorded one assist. As an eighteen-year-old, Leonard won a gold medal with Team USA at the 2023 Under-18 World Championship, scoring the gold medal clinching goal in overtime against Sweden to give the United States their first Under-18 gold since 2017.
