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Ryan Leonard makes NCAA debut with Boston College Eagles, tallies primary assist on overtime game-winning goal

By Chris Cerullo

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October 8, 2023 2:46 am

Ryan Leonard, the Washington Capitals’ first-round draft pick of the 2023 NHL Draft, made his NCAA debut on Saturday night. The 18-year-old freshman skated on the Boston College Eagles’ second line with fellow US National Development Team products Will Smith and Gabe Perreault.

Leonard was a standout performer in Boston College’s first game of the season. The Caps’ top forward prospect helped down the defending NCAA champion and number two ranked Quinnipiac Bobcats in a 2-1 overtime win with a primary assist on the game-winning marker.

BC was ranked number six coming into the game.

Late in the three-on-three overtime session, Leonard jumped over the boards with fellow NHL draft picks Cutter Gauthier and Jack Malone. Malone dropped the puck to Leonard at Boston College’s blueline and Leonard skated the puck into the Quinnipiac zone as a one-man breakout.

The Caps top pick then sent a cross-ice feed to Gauthier who sniped past netminder Vinny Duplessis to end the game. Gauthier struck with just 9.5 seconds left in the extra frame.

Leonard was unlucky not to grab his own goal during regulation as he was the author of two of Boston College’s best chances in the game. The Massachusetts native had his speed, strength, and skill on display as he created the solo, grade-A chances for himself.

He finished the game with three shots on net which ranked second on his team.

To go along with that skill, Leonard brought some of the sandpaper that has had analysts compare him to names like Matthew Tkachuk, Brady Tkachuk, and Tom Wilson. The rambunctious winger made a pretty spin move mid-way through the second period but the puck rolled off his tape before he could fully head up ice in control.

Perhaps out of sheer frustration of losing the puck or just his rugged instinct, Leonard bowled over the next Quinnipiac player that dared to approach him.

Leonard, who the Caps took eighth overall, is just getting started with his first season in the NCAA under head coach Greg Brown. This summer, Leonard starred at Capitals development camp and then competed in the 2023 World Junior Summer Showcase for Team USA.

In his final pre-NCAA season, Leonard scored 51 goals in 57 games for the U-18 national team. His 94 points were third-most on the team.

Leonard ended his 2022-23 campaign with a standout offensive performance in the U18 World Championship. There, he blitzed the competition for 17 points (8g, 9a) in seven games and scored the overtime, gold-medal winner against Sweden.

The Caps will be eligible to bring Leonard into their organization after his season is done with Boston College and he deems himself ready to make that jump. One-and-done college hockey players are a bit rare though so it would not be out of the ordinary for Leonard to return for his sophomore year.

Headline photo: Alan Dobbins/RMNB

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