The Washington Capitals will again be without rookie winger Ryan Leonard on Saturday afternoon.
Leonard will miss his sixth consecutive game due to the shoulder injury he suffered against the Anaheim Ducks on December 3. However, head coach Spencer Carbery revealed that Leonard’s return could be coming soon.
“I would call [Leonard], a day-by-day thing,” Carbery said. “I don’t want to put a staple on it and start a stir on he may or may not [play tomorrow]. It’s a day-by-day; he’s not playing today.”
Leonard was a full participant at the Capitals’ practice on Friday, taking contact for the first time since Ducks defenseman Jacob Trouba took him out of action with a high hit. The 20-year-old forward remains on injured reserve for the time being, with the Caps currently carrying a full complement of 23 players on their roster.
The 2023 first-round pick has recorded 18 points (7g, 11a) in 29 games this season, which ranks fourth among all NHL rookies. He has the 65th-highest total points per 60 minutes in the league (2.79), ranking ahead of star names like Dylan Larkin (2.75), Clayton Keller (2.54), Filip Forsberg (2.53), Auston Matthews (2.35), and Brayden Point (2.13).
Leonard’s older brother, John Leonard, is set to play in his third game for the Red Wings this season against the Capitals at Capital One Arena on Saturday. The two teams will then travel to Detroit for a back-to-back rematch on Sunday, which the younger Leonard could be targeting for a return.
While Leonard remains out on Saturday, Carbery revealed that fellow Capitals first-round pick, Ivan Miroshnichenko, will be making his season debut after a recall from the AHL’s Hershey Bears on Friday night.
