It took Ryan Leonard less than 30 seconds to draw attention Saturday at the Washington Capitals’ annual three-on-three tournament to conclude development camp. Leonard, Washington’s top prospect and the No. 8 pick in the 2023 draft, took a hit he didn’t appreciate from camp invitee Oasiz Wiesblatt and responded with a firm shove that led to a brief scuffle.
Two things were immediately clear. One, Leonard isn’t going to back down from anything, even in a lighthearted scrimmage in early July. And two, no one wanted to win the tournament and lift the trophy more than he did.
After the scrimmage, in equal measure, Leonard was delighted to have won and still was bothered by the incident with Wiesblatt.
“It was good. Last year didn’t go the way I wanted, the tournament,” Leonard said with a grin. “I think we lost in semis. But this year, good to cap it off.”
When the topic turned to his early temper flare, the grin disappeared.
“At the end of the day, you’re trying to compete, but there’s just no point in that,” Leonard said. “Almost taking someone’s knee off 10 seconds apart, two of them. Not trying to be the hardo but just no point.”
Leonard was just as much of a standout in his second development camp as he was last summer after he was drafted. A successful season at Boston College — Leonard scored 31 goals in 41 games and racked up 60 points, tied for fourth in the nation — and a deeper understanding of what to expect gave the already confident 19-year-old an extra edge in his second camp, and his assuredness was palpable throughout the week.
In individual skating drills, his straight-line power and control on his edges were instantly noticeable. The way the puck flew off his stick when he shot it drew audible reactions from the crowd in attendance every day.
“Lenny has that DNA in him,” Capitals Coach Spencer Carbery said. “He’s really ultra, ultra competitive and wants to win. When you give him a shot, he’s going to give you one right back. He wants that puck more than anybody.”
Leonard confirmed early in the week that Washington made a push to sign him in April, after his season with Boston College ended with a loss in the national championship game. Leonard’s plan was always to spend two years in college, but when he got on a Zoom call with the Capitals after they made the playoffs following a win in the final game of the regular season, the contract offer took him by surprise — and led to a difficult decision.
He spent hours debating the decision with his brother, John, who spent most of last season with the Tucson Roadrunners in the American Hockey League, and his agent.
“It all happened so fast,” Leonard said. “I don’t really know if I was completely prepared for it. I thought we were jumping on a Zoom call to just kind of reassess the situation just to see what was actually happening, but I didn’t know it was actually real. … That night when it happened, I didn’t go to sleep until probably 3 or 4 in the morning, and I had class the next day. I just had no idea what to do. [My brother and I] talked on the phone; we made lists, pros and cons of everything.”
The 6-foot winger weighs in at 192 pounds and is physically ready for the NHL, but his intention is not to rush through his college experience.
“College is the best time of your life,” Leonard said. “A lot of people that go one and done 10 years down the road say they regret it. After I made my initial statement of saying I was going to stay, I met Kevin Hayes before I went to men’s worlds, and he told me right away, he goes, ‘Dude, if I was in your position, I would stay here as long as you can.’ He came back for one day, and he wanted to transfer in again. That kind of went a long way.”
The Capitals felt that Leonard would boost their lineup in the playoffs, but they’re equally aware that the boost will still be there when he is ready to turn pro.
“He had a great year,” General Manager Brian MacLellan said. “I thought the timing would have been good on our part; going into the playoffs, we were missing some bodies. And it would have been a great chance for him to play against New York. Talked to his agent, and we set up a Zoom call and just talked through it. There was no pressure to sign.
“We just gave him the option: If you want to, we were more than willing to do it, and if you don’t, you can’t make a wrong decision here.”
Leonard is steadfast that he made the right decision and that when the time comes — probably next spring — he will make an instant impact in Washington, just as he did in Saturday’s three-on-three tournament.
“It’s a winning culture here, and that’s obviously what you want to be a part of,” Leonard said. “You saw the day the other day with the free agency. They’re looking for top-end guys that can help win championships, and that’s what I’m here to try to do at some point. Just going to try to help as best as I can do.”
