Ryan Leonard made his senior debut for the US national team Tuesday against Slovakia in a 2024 World Championship pre-tournament game.
The 19-year-old winger was chosen as one of three college players to make the trip overseas to represent Team USA at the tournament. He joined Boston College linemate Will Smith and Michigan State goaltender Trey Augustine as the only non-NHL players on the roster.
Head coach John Hynes revealed his first set of lines during Tuesday’s contest and had Leonard playing with Smith and Philadelphia Flyers winger Joel Farabee on the team’s third line. Here’s how the full lineup shook out per USA Hockey’s social media.
Leonard has chemistry with Smith as the two have played on the same line for multiple years. Last season, as freshmen in the NCAA with Boston College, they combined for 131 points (56g, 75a) from 41 games. They were originally matched together with the US National Development Team Program in 2022.
The last time they were paired up at the national team level, they took home a gold medal in the most recent World Junior Championship. Leonard scored a highlight reel goal in the 6-2 victory over Team Sweden.
After one period of play on Tuesday, the Washington Capitals’ top prospect was already back on the scoresheet. He fired a low shot on the Slovak netminder and Farabee scored on a rebound.
Leonard faced off against Capitals defenseman Martin Fehervary in the game. Fehervary accepted an invite to play for Slovakia after the Caps were swept out of the first round of the NHL playoffs by the New York Rangers.
The Americans are trying to win the nation’s third gold medal at a men’s World Championship and the first since 1960. The team recently kicked off their training in Bratislava, Slovakia ahead of their lone tune-up game.
The US officially open their tournament in Ostrava, Czechia against Sweden on Friday.
