Washington Capitals forward Ryan Leonard had a rather special introduction to the NHL compared to most other rookies. While participating at the NHLPA Rookie Showcase at MedStar Capitals Iceplex on Wednesday, he recalled the moment he realized he was amongst giants in the Caps locker room.
“Walked in and it’s just me and Tom [Wilson] talking, and then obviously the bigger names [start arriving],” he described to reporters. “[Jakob] Chychrun walks in, [Dylan] Strome walks in and then you just see the big man walking down and you’re like, ‘Holy sh*t, that’s Alex Ovechkin.’”
Leonard joined the team for just nine games last year after departing Boston College and in that time he experienced more than some NHLers see in an entire career.
The 20-year-old winger witnessed captain Alex Ovechkin pass Wayne Gretzky for most goals all-time and even tallied his first and only NHL marker in the same game Ovi tied said record.
Gretzky himself took notice of Leonard’s accomplishment, giving him kudos in the post-game locker room on a night that could’ve easily overshadowed his moment.
“Congratulations on your first goal,” he told Leonard while shaking his hand. “895 more and you can pass [Ovechkin].”
On Sunday, Ryan Leonard was still enrolled at Boston College.
Today, he’s getting personally congratulated by Wayne Gretzky after scoring his first NHL goal. 🥹 pic.twitter.com/cPQFN6jt2s
— NHL (@NHL) April 5, 2025
Being a part of that history and the closing days of the chase are still moments Leonard hasn’t been able to fully process yet but he’s appreciative to have been fortunate enough be there.
“It still doesn’t sit,” he told reporters Wednesday. “It’s just a story you can tell for as long as you’re alive, the pictures are just crazy… It’s just so cool that I was here for however many days that was – even [Ovechkin] treated me like I’d been here all year.”
Many Caps players kept souvenirs from Ovechkin’s record-breaking game. Leonard even put his own stick from that day in his room as a personal memento.
Landing in DC in the midst of Ovechkin’s chase for Gretzky and the Caps’ impending Stanley Cup Playoffs run as the Eastern Conference’s top squad may have been a whirlwind, but Leonard’s ready to reset this year having already gotten a taste of the NHL’s wicked fast pace.
“I feel like a completely different player out there now,” he said Wednesday. “I feel like last year maybe [I was] a little bit more timid out there, jumping in an important part (of the season). You don’t really want to mess up and everyone tells you to skate free but sometimes it’s a little bit harder when the games and stakes are that high. But I feel great going into the year and I’m really excited.”
Leonard is expected to slot in to the Capitals third line if everything goes well in camp and potentially be centered by Connor McMichael. He played significant minutes down the stretch with Lars Eller and Andrew Mangiapane last season.
“Hopefully [I’ll] make the team to start and [I’ll] just keep getting better and better and more comfortable every single game,” he said.