Ryan Leonard is the MVP of the 2025 World Juniors. The 19-year-old winger took home the award after he helped push Team USA to a second consecutive gold medal on Sunday night.
Leonard was a force the entire tournament and chipped in two big assists against Team Finland in the final to give him 10 total points (5g, 5a) in seven games. The only player to outscore him in the tournament was teammate and fellow Washington Capitals prospect Cole Hutson (11).
Ryan Leonard has been named MVP of the 2025 #WorldJuniors! 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/HBKkH7MiJt
— TSN (@TSN_Sports) January 6, 2025
Leonard is the third Capitals draft pick to ever take home World Juniors MVP honors, following in the footsteps of Evgeny Kuznetsov (2012) and Filip Forsberg (2014). Other winners of the prestigious prize include Marc-Andre Fleury (2003), Patrice Bergeron (2005), Evgeni Malkin (2006), Carey Price (2007), John Tavares (2009), and Connor Bedard (2023).
“It doesn’t really feel real, honestly,” Leonard told Mike Kelly postgame. “There’s no better feeling in the world.”
Leonard was presented with the trophy after also being named one of three forwards on the tournament’s media all-star team.
Leonard played 21:56 of ice time in the final game and recorded seven shots on goal.
The 2023 first-round draft selection admitted this past fall that one of the primary drivers behind him returning to Boston College for his sophomore season was to play for another gold medal. He recorded six points (3g, 3a) in seven games as an 18-year-old in last year’s winning run.
He has now won that second medal and sure seems happy about it.
