Ryan Leonard is suddenly on fire. Leonard had two goals and had an assist in Team USA’s 7-3 win over Hungary in the World Championships in Switzerland on Monday. Leonard has 3 goals and one assist so far in the tournament. His second goal was from the left point on the power play, and his assist was a thing of beauty. The more I see him play, the more I think the Caps got a major steal at no. 8 in the 2023 draft.
There are five players taken before Leonard in 2023 that have played more games and scored more points: Connor Bedard (208 points), Leo Carlsson (141 points), Adam Fantilli (140), William Smith (104), and Matvei Michkov (114). Only one player drafted after him has scored more and that would be Buffalo’s Zach Benson, who has 101 points in 211 games. Has played the least number of games than the others, by almost half in some cases. Most rookies have an adjustment period when they enter the league, and all of those guys went through it. Leonard is the latest one, who could have been on the Caps roster as a nineteen-year-old but chose to stay at Boston College for his sophomore season. He’s just a year behind those guys, but he has shown he has what it takes.
Leonard scored 21 goals and 25 assists for 46 points, a .54 per game average. He should see an increase in scoring as he learns to utilize his skill, skating, and wicked wrister to impose more of his will on NHL opponents. To prove that point, he’s playing against men in the World Championships, not teenagers like he did in the World Juniors. His shootout game winner last week against Germany seemed to give him a spark and he has since gone on a tear just when Team USA needs him the most. They have one more game to make the next round, and if Leonard is indeed getting that boost of confidence, it couldn’t come at a better time for USA hockey.
With the Caps looking to augment their forward corps with an elite skilled playmaker, Leonard could benefit the most. Adding a top six forward would add to the Capitals depth, which should make each line harder to play against, which for some players will lead to more points. Leonard should see more scoring opportunities and more goals next season as he progresses naturally and now that he is catching fire in the World Championships, Capitals fans should be excited that he will continue that trend while rocking Caps red.
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