Ryan Leonard's Move To 'Fourth Line' & Reuniting With Justin Sourdif An Opportunity For More Growth & Responsibility

ARLINGTON, V.A. — Spencer Carbery wanted to make something very clear when discussing Ryan Leonard on Tuesday: the 21-year-old's move to the Washington Capitals fourth line was by no means a demotion.

In fact, it's the opposite.

Leonard, who has one goal through two games, has caught Carbery's eye to open the season.

"I've been really impressed with the the player that he looks like this year comparatively to last year," Carbery said. "So it's just a matter of putting him on a different line that has a little bit of a different deployment."

Leonard had started the season on a line with Alex Ovechkin and Dylan Strome, but with Carbery wanting more out of his overall game, he'll now move to play with Justin Sourdif and Boone Jenner.

Though that line is technically listed as the "fourth line" on paper, that's not how it'll be deployed. Given the team's depth this season, the line order does not reflect or dictate ice time time, and it's a move that Carbery believes will benefit Leonard's overall development with the team able to evenly utilize four units.

Both Sourdif and Jenner rank in the top-10 for expected goals-for at 5-on-5, and putting Leonard on that line gives the team an offensive-minded forward who can add more on that forecheck. Leonard, meanwhile, will be able to get to work on fine-tuning his two-way play and get more matchups, and even potentially more minutes.

"I want him to play in some more defensive situations, because I think he can do well in that. I want him to handle those, I want him to develop, because he's worked really hard at it, and I've seen some really positive signs of growth in his game in that department," Carbery said. "So it's not a huge, significant move. Optically, it's like, 'Huh, that's weird.' But from a minute standpoint, like he might even play more 5-on-5 minutes with Sourdy's line."

Both Leonard and Sourdif have proven chemistry, with both of them having played over 250 minutes together last season and managing a goals-for percentage of 70.37, a high-danger goals-or percentage of 75 while outscoring their opponents 19-8 at 5-on-5.

Then, adding a veteran like Jenner who can win draws and battles and take good care of the puck gives that line another spark.

"He's really reliable, wins pucks, and I felt he, from keeping pucks alive, entry plays, being able to create something out of nothing... he could be a really (strong) complement to those two guys," Carbery said. "He plays with a ton of pace, but Leno and Sourdy and the skating ability of Sourdy, they've had chemistry in the past, they're going to be deployed in some tougher matchups.

"I feel like Sourdy with Jenner on his side and Leno now in year two, like they can handle some of those tough assignments, so if they get out against (Sidney Crosby) tomorrow night, it's no big deal."

That said, Leonard is also excited to be back on a line with Sourdif, who he's formed a close friendship with and will be in D.C. for the next nine years with after both signed max contracts before the season.

"(Our relationship) is only going to get stronger and stronger," Leonard said. "Signed here for a long time together, so hopefully it'll be a lot of fun and we'll win a lot of games, hopefully a couple long seasons. He's a great guy, he's a character and it's fun to grow with him."