Ryan Leonard is set to be an important part of the Washington Capitals’ future. The 20-year-old winger just finished another standout regular season with the Boston College Eagles, winning Hockey East Player of the Year after posting 47 points (29g, 18a) in 35 games.
“I certainly hope so. We’ll have to see here,” Patrick said. “He’s in a pretty important part of his season right now, so we’re making sure that he has the proper space and time to do that. He’s got one goal left here that he wants to do in college, which is to win a national championship. We’re hoping that he can continue to have success in that, and as soon as his college season is over, we’ll get on the phone and talk to his agent and see if there’s something to be done here for the remainder of this season.”
Leonard and Boston College received the number-one overall seed in this year’s NCAA tournament, which kicks off in single elimination format on Thursday afternoon. The Eagles will wait until Saturday for their first game in the New Hampshire-based regional against Bentley University.
The regional, made up of four teams, ends on March 30, and the winner advances to the Frozen Four in St. Louis, Missouri, which begins on April 10. While Patrick and the Capitals want Leonard to go all the way to the national championship game on April 12, they will be able to get him into the organization sooner if the Eagles lose earlier in the tournament.
Patrick admitted earlier this month that he factored in Leonard’s possible salary cap hit into the team’s plans at the trade deadline. He was asked on Tuesday about how ready he thinks Leonard is to make the jump and what he believes Leonard could provide to the Capitals’ lineup.
“It’s kinda hard to know until you see it, but just the fact that he’s played on the biggest stages someone his age can at the U-20 level and winning gold medals there,” Patrick said. “He even played in the World Championship against men last spring with Team USA, so he’s been exposed to some higher level competition.
“And the group that we have in our room, our leadership group, have done a great job of integrating guys, so I’m sure they’d get him in, get him feeling comfortable, and help kinda teach him along the way about the system and how we’re playing. I think there already is probably some texting back and forth with him and some of our leadership group about what it takes to be a Caps player and the Caps way and things like that.”
Tom Wilson, a member of the club’s leadership group and likely future captain, spoke about contacting Leonard earlier this season after the latter had won a gold medal with Team USA at the 2025 World Juniors. Leonard himself mentioned hearing from Wilson “a lot” during an interview at last summer’s development camp.
“I think he plays the game hard, and he’s got that gamer in him that he’s not going to back down, and he has the ability to push teams into the fight and lead the way that way,” Wilson told RMNB in January. “I think the foundation that he has for the way he plays the game is great, and then his skill and his hockey IQ and all that is just going to get better and better. I’m excited for when he puts the Caps jersey on. It’ll be fun to play with a guy like that.”
Wilson had played that year’s regular season with the OHL’s Plymouth Whalers, not making his regular-season NHL debut until the following fall. Patrick compared Wilson’s first foray into the big leagues to what he hopes will be a similar situation for Leonard.
“I remember Tom Wilson – some of his first games with us were in the playoffs against the Rangers,” Patrick said. “You get that kinda element – young kid that’s going to go out there and just give it his all and compete hard and have some skill and some ability to disrupt. He can have an impact, so maybe it’ll be something similar to that.”
Since the trade deadline has passed, Leonard can be freely added to the Capitals’ roster without necessitating a demotion of any current active players to the AHL’s Hershey Bears. His three-year, entry-level contract will likely feature heavy performance bonuses, akin to what his former college teammate Will Smith has included in his deal with the San Jose Sharks.
