{"id":885208,"date":"2026-10-17T06:10:10","date_gmt":"2026-10-17T06:10:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/885208\/"},"modified":"2026-10-17T06:10:10","modified_gmt":"2026-10-17T06:10:10","slug":"ryan-leonard-is-hopping-during-warmups-for-reasons-unknown","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/885208\/","title":{"rendered":"Ryan Leonard is hopping during warmups for reasons unknown"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Washington Capitals<\/a> are no strangers to warmups shenaniganery.<\/p>\n

Whether it\u2019s their elaborate pregame tunnel routines, physically lifting up teammates<\/a> on the ice, or Tom Wilson<\/a> and TJ Oshie\u2019s butt-tapping ritual (which has continued<\/a> even past Oshie\u2019s retirement), the Caps have never let the seriousness of game preparation stop them from having fun.<\/p>\n

Enter: Ryan Leonard<\/a>, who has become one of the latest players to add an unexpected twist to warmups. Hopping on the ice.<\/p>\n

Leonard has been spotted bouncing before multiple games. Sometimes, he speeds into an exuberant spinning hop, as he did before Sunday\u2019s game against the Seattle Kraken<\/a>.<\/p>\n

@usefulheadphones<\/a> <\/p>\n

leno why are you sticking your tongue out like that \ud83d\ude07 #ryanleonard<\/a> #washingtoncapitals<\/a> #washingtondc<\/a> #hockey<\/a> #nhl<\/a> <\/p>\n

\u266c original sound \u2013 usefulheadphones<\/a> <\/p>\n

Other times, like before the Capitals\u2019 home opener last Wednesday, it\u2019s closer to a two-legged leap.<\/p>\n

Is he preparing for a second career in figure skating? Taking the Screaming Eagle jerseys a little too seriously and trying to fly? Jumping for joy after signing an eight-year extension<\/a> this summer? We did some digging to try and find out.<\/p>\n

Turns out, the hopping isn\u2019t a new habit for Leonard, who told RMNB that he\u2019s been doing it since his rookie season.<\/p>\n

\u201cJust something (that\u2019s a) part of the routine,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

When pressed further, Leonard, however, was not about to surrender the secrets of his highly classified hopping operation.<\/p>\n

RMNB asks Ryan Leonard about his hop<\/p>\n

The following transcript has been lightly edited for clarity.<\/p>\n

Q: How did it become part of your routine? When did you start?<\/p>\n

Ryan Leonard: I don\u2019t know, maybe last year.<\/p>\n

Q: Maybe last spring?<\/p>\n

Ryan Leonard: Yeah, last year.<\/p>\n

Q: Was it your idea or somebody else\u2019s?<\/p>\n

Ryan Leonard: I don\u2019t know, it just kind of happened.<\/p>\n

Q: Just kind of happened?<\/p>\n

Ryan Leonard: Yeah.<\/p>\n

Q: Okay.<\/p>\n

Ryan Leonard: That\u2019s it.<\/p>\n

While Leonard professed that there was nothing else to the story, his expression said, Oh, there is so much more to this story.<\/p>\n

\"Ryan\ud83d\udcf8: Katie Adler\/RMNB<\/p>\n

Further attempts at digging, however, proved fruitless.<\/p>\n

Q: Should I ask anybody else?<\/p>\n

Ryan Leonard: No, no one knows.<\/p>\n

Q: Nobody knows? Okay.<\/p>\n

Ryan Leonard: (Laughs) No one knows.<\/p>\n

For now, Leonard\u2019s aerial ambitions remain shrouded in mystery. And perhaps some mysteries are better left unsolved.<\/p>\n

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