The Capitals prospect has 21 goals in 29 games to open his NCAA career.
Night after night, Ryan Leonard continues to show that he's everything the Washington Capitals hoped for — and then some.
The 18-year-old sensation, who went eighth overall in this past year's draft, has dominated his first year in the NCAA. And of late, he's only gotten better. He has seven goals — including a hat trick in his hometown of Amherst — in his last four outings and has totalled 21 goals and 20 assists for 41 points in 29 games. He also put on a show in his first World Juniors appearance to help lead Team USA to a gold medal.
It's not just his numbers that are impressive; it's his overall play. He's fast, he has a lethal shot and he has great hockey sense. Leonard is able to get to the high-danger areas, and when he doesn't have the puck, he's a pest to play against, using his 6-2 frame, physicality and grit to win battles.
When it comes to what's next, Leonard said after the World Juniors that he wasn't too stressed about the future, though all signs are pointing to an NHL jump sooner rather than later.
"Obviously, it's always in the back of your head when you're going to turn pro and then when you're going to take that next step... That's kind of the last of my worries," Leonard said. "The NHL is always going to be there, but I think just college is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, so you never want to rush out of there. Kind of just want to soak it all in and see what you can make happen here."
So, when will that jump be?
For the Capitals, it depends on a lot of different factors. The team could very well sign him to close out this season if they wanted to, but once his entry-level deal is signed, his college career ends.
Plus, giving a player extra time to develop never hurts. The NHL is a different beast, with the speed and intensity going up two-fold. While Leonard is thriving at the NCAA level, giving him added time to develop and prepare for that change in pace could work wonders, rather than stunting his development by throwing him into the NHL too soon.
However, D.C. is in an interesting position where adding a young, high-scoring forward with grit could be just what they need. Washington is struggling more than ever to score goals with its current group, ranking third-to-last with 2.42 goals per game on average. And with the Alex Ovechkin era winding down, getting Leonard acclimated to the pros earlier may be the right move forward.
A lot of it will also depend on the team's approach to the end of the season, too. The Capitals currently sit eight points out of a playoff spot, and adding Leonard to the mix this year is dependent on whether or not Washington sells or has a chance at the postseason. Plus, it's important for him to play in meaningful games to grow his development.
He can also grab meaningful minutes in Hershey, and he could bolster their roster as well.
At the end of the day, it's up to the organization and Leonard if he will join the pro ranks this year, and it’s important to do what’s best for the player. Plus, he wouldn’t mind a chance at an NCAA title.
However, given his performance and progress, it wouldn't be surprising to see him in a one-and-done scenario in the with the Eagles and start next year with Hershey at the least.