Ryan Leonard

A first look at the Caps’ Ryan Leonard as a member of the NCAA’s Boston College Eagles

Washington Capitals 2023 first-round draft pick Ryan Leonard is not at Rookie Camp with the rest of his fellow prospects this week. Instead, he’s getting acquainted with his new surroundings as a freshman at Boston College. The Caps took Leonard eighth overall in this summer’s draft.

The highly-touted winger is set for his first season in the NCAA under head coach Greg Brown after a sparkling junior career with the US National Development Team Program.

We got our first look at what Leonard is going to look like on the ice for Boston College on Monday via his Instagram.

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By Chris Cerullo 2 weeks ago

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Alexander Suzdalev, Ryan Leonard, and Ryan Chesley to compete in 2023 World Junior Summer Showcase

Less than a month after Development Camp, several of the Capitals’ top prospects will be back on the ice to compete at USA Hockey’s 2023 World Junior Summer Showcase. Alexander Suzdalev will represent Sweden at the tournament, while Ryan Leonard and Ryan Chesley will play for USA’s Team White.

The showcase will take place in Plymouth, Michigan from July 27th to August 4th, with the first game coming on July 29th. A split squad of American players–Team White and Team Blue–will play alongside Sweden and Finland in the four-team tournament.

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By Katie Adler 2 months ago

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Ryan Leonard’s shot and unbelievable release could fast-track him to NHL: ‘It’s elite’

ARLINGTON, VA — Washington Capitals’ 2023 first-round pick Ryan Leonard was described in a pre-draft feature story by The Athletic as a “bulldog”, and compared to Tom Wilson by analysts during ESPN’s draft night coverage.

This is a man with muscles in his face. He’s mean, said one analyst.

Scouts are combing the world for another Tom Wilson and Jamie Benn-like player, said another.

Leonard appears fast, physical, and feisty like Wilson, but his most unique attribute might just be his shot and just how he fast he can whip the puck at the net.

“It’s elite,” defense prospect Ryan Chesley said matter-of-factly during Capitals’ Development Camp.

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By Ian Oland 3 months ago

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Brian MacLellan says Capitals tried to move up in NHL Draft but ‘everybody had their guy that they wanted to get’

The Washington Capitals’ rumored pursuit of Matvei Michkov was all but confirmed by GM Brian MacLellan after he spoke to reporters at the 2023 NHL Draft.

The Russian phenom was selected one spot in front of the Capitals at pick number seven by the Philadelphia Flyers.

The morning of the draft, Hockey Insiders Elliotte Friedman and Jeff Marek reported that all the talk heading into the event was that the Capitals were trying to find a way to move up ahead of the Flyers to pick Michkov.

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By Ian Oland 3 months ago

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Capitals first-rounder Ryan Leonard compares his playing style to Matthew Tkachuk, Zach Hyman, and Alex Tuch

Washington Capitals’ 2023 first-round pick, Ryan Leonard, isn’t afraid of getting physical and used a sandpaper-y word Caps fans first became familiar with through Peter Laviolette to describe what he brings to the ice: jam.

Leonard’s role models further reveal the sort of player he hopes to be someday in the NHL and two of them had postseason success in 2023. Leonard named Matthew Tkachuk (FLA), Zach Hyman (EDM), and Alex Tuch (BUF) as players he looks up to.

Leonard made the comments shortly after Washington selected him with the eighth overall pick. The Capitals’ reputation as a big, hard-hitting team appealed to him.

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By Katie Adler 3 months ago

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