Washington Capitals select Ryan Leonard with eighth overall pick in 2023 NHL Draft
The Washington Capitals missed out by one pick on Russian phenom Matvei Michkov, who dropped to seventh with the Philadelphia Flyers.
With their eighth selection, the Capitals selected Ryan Leonard in the 2023 NHL Draft.
Leonard is a right wing for the U-18 United States National Development Program.
With the 8th pick in the 2023 NHL Draft, the Washington Capitals are proud to select Ryan Leonard!#CapsDraft | @MedStarHealth pic.twitter.com/7GlQTPwi7e — Washington Capitals (@Capitals) June 29, 2023
Leonard, a Boston College commit, ended his 2022-23 season with a standout offensive performance in the U18 World Championship for the USA. In seven games, Leonard blitzed the competition for 17 points (8g, 9a) and scored the overtime, gold-medal winner against Sweden.
In 57 games for the U18 national team, he amassed 94 points (51g, 43a) which was good for third-best on the team. Leonard recorded 20 points (11g, 9a) in 17 games in the USHL. Leonard played on the top line and was used at all situations, averaging over 17 minutes per game.
The forward was not a consensus top 10 pick.
#ALLCAPS select Ryan Leonard 8th overall. I ranked him 18th overall. Leonard scored nearly a goal per game in the NTDP, and over a goal per game in the WJC-18. But his (relatively, to his draft spot) weak production in the USHL in his D-1 and draft years knocks him down a peg. pic.twitter.com/vA5uBWfJcW — Patrick Bacon (@TopDownHockey) June 29, 2023
During ESPN’s draft coverage, Emily Kaplan reported that one GM told her that Leonard reminded him of the Tkachuk brothers.
“I think it’s pretty honoring (so sic),” Leonard said per ESPN. “Those guys are truly special players. To be compared to those guys, it’s pretty honoring (so so sic).”
When asked what Capitals fans would learn to love about him, Leonard replied “my competitiveness. I think that’s kinda like who I am.”
Ryan Leonard on now being a teammate of Alex Ovechkin: "Hopefully he doesn't hit me with a one-timer or anything during practice. It's pretty special." — Ian Oland (@ianoland) June 29, 2023
ESPN analysts compared Leonard to a Tom Wilson-lite type player, who would have been a perfect fit on the Flyers.
Source: Russian Machine Never Breaks
