Grand Rapids forward John Leonard capped a record-setting start to his Griffins career, leading the AHL in goals and points, delivering key game-winners, and extending historic scoring streaks.
Grand Rapids Griffins forward John Leonard has earned the AHL Player of the Month honor for November after an impressive stretch of play. In just 15 games with the Griffins this season, Leonard has racked up 24 points, including 15 goals, leading the team’s offense and ranking among the league’s top performers.
The 27-year-old leads the AHL in goals, shares the top spot in overall points, and is tied for seventh in plus-minus with a +11 rating. Among players who have appeared in at least 10 games, Leonard tops the league in points-per-game with a 1.60 average. His outstanding performance this month made him only the third player in franchise history to claim the AHL Player of the Month award, joining Riley Barber (April 2022) and Chris Minard (February 2012).
Leonard’s stellar play has been a driving force behind the Griffins’ historic start to the season. Grand Rapids sits at an impressive 16-1-0-1, a record largely credited to Leonard’s scoring prowess and clutch contributions.
November was marked by consistency and timely scoring. Leonard was held scoreless in only one game while tallying nine goals and seven assists for 16 points over ten contests. The forward notched three game-winning goals, recorded two three-point games, and had five multi-point outings. He also finished the month with the decisive goal in consecutive wins against Iowa on Friday and Sunday.
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The Griffins’ star set a franchise record with a ten-game point streak to start both the season and his Griffins career. Additionally, his six-game goal streak ties with teammates Austin Watson, Jiri Hudler, Kip Miller, and Pavol Demitra for the third-longest in team history.
Leonard arrives in Grand Rapids after a stellar season with the Charlotte Checkers, where he helped guide the team to the Calder Cup Finals. During that campaign, he finished among the league leaders with 61 points, 36 goals, 10 power-play goals, and five short-handed goals, while also taking the second-most shots in the league at 252.
Over his six-year AHL career, which began in the 2020-21 season, Leonard has compiled 98 goals and 97 assists for 195 points in 264 games. He has also gained NHL experience, recording 17 points in 70 games with San Jose, Nashville, and Arizona.
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