ARLINGTON, V.A. — After a whirlwind of a start to his NHL career, Ryan Leonard is looking forward to getting the true rookie experience this year with the Washington Capitals — and he's ready to make the most of it.

The 20-year-old has kept busy in the offseason, using the time away to look back at his short NHL stint last year, where he had just a goal and assist through 17 combined regular-season and playoff games. His biggest takeaway: he wants to "contribute a lot more," and really get to play his game.

“Last year, I was maybe a little bit timid out there. Jumping in, you don’t really want to mess up,” Leonard pointed out. “Everyone tells you to play free, but sometimes, it’s a little bit harder when the stakes are that high.”

Leonard's put on some weight this summer as he continues to get bigger and stronger, and he's also taken a step forward when it comes to his skating. Beyond that, he worked on fine-tuning his shot and focusing on the little details.

"Everything's so much quicker and faster... scoring is obviously tougher," Leonard said, adding, "I'm taking big steps."

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For Leonard, the first step is to make the opening night roster; even after making the jump immediately last season, he knows there's still work to be done, and there's no guarantees. Then, from there, he can expand on his game.

"(I want to) play with a lot more confidence," Leonard said, adding, "Just keep getting better and better and more comfortable every single game.”

So far at the Capitals' informal skates, Leonard's been among the standouts thanks to his speed, explosive stride, quick hands and hockey IQ. It's a good sign of things to come as he gets ready for rookie and training camp in the coming weeks, and ultimately, he feels like he's getting a fresh start and a real chance this time around to show what he can do.

“I feel like a completely different player out there now,” Leonard said Wednesday at the NHLPA Rookie Showcase.