Ryan Leonard's skillset makes him a threat as the Frozen Four approaches

Ryan Leonard has been turning heads the whole season and it is easy to see why. As soon as he stepped onto Boston College's campus last fall, the native of Amherst, Mass. has been one of the best offensive players for the Eagles. 

The Eagles have been one of the better teams in the country the whole season, icing a balanced lineup of players who all play their roles well. 

As the Frozen Four approaches, now is as great a time as ever to explore some of the players who will be difference makers for their teams. While his two equally-talented line-mates (in Will Smith and Gabe Perreault) have been major contributors to the Eagles' success, Leonard has been a major driver for their line. 

What makes Leonard such a dynamic player for the Eagles is his ability to get under the opposition's skin while being willing to do the dirty work that leads to goals. 

Drawing comparisons to Brad Marchand, Leonard has tallied an impressive 31 goals and 59 points in 39 games played this season. 

"There's always gonna be people that don't appreciate the way you play on the other side. But I think it's all part of the game and every team's gonna have one of those guys and I'm lucky enough to be that guy," Leonard mentioned in an interview with THN's Sammy Silber back in January.

When there is a loose puck in the offensive zone, it is a strong bet that Leonard is going to either be chasing it or in the midst of battling with an opponent in the corner. Leonard attacks the puck carrier with great efficiency, attacking and angling them away from being able to move the puck to another teammate easily. 

He goes hard to the net as well, battling to establish positioning in front and making it hard for the opposing goalie to track the puck through traffic. Even against bigger opponents, Leonard is a threat to find loose rebounds thanks to his unrelenting desire to score. 

Take this clip for example. After driving through the middle to get a shot off through contact, Leonard stopped up at the side of the net and was able to find the rebound for the goal while being on the receiving end of a big hit right after. 

Leonard's ability to shoot the puck is another great tool he possesses. He has the ability to change the angle of his release to fool goalies while getting it off mid-stride. In the clip below, Leonard receives the pass and in one stride gets the puck off, beating the goalie over the glove before he has any time to react.

As he looks to take his team to the national championship, Leonard will have many people from around the hockey world watching him closely. If he is successful in his misson, the no-fear attitude that engrains his game will no doubt be front and center. 

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