RYAN LEONARD

2024-08-09

Scout: Jeremy Vercillo

Skating:

Leonard doesn't have the best first step, but he's sneaky fast when he gets going.

Passing/Handling:

Leonard has silky hands. He routinely made NCAA defenders look silly 1-on-1

Shooting:

Leonard's shot is fine, but he's not going to be scoring most of his goals from distance. He'll be better at getting in close and slamming home rebounds.

IQ (Vision, Anticipation, Panic/Poise):

His hockey IQ is one of the best I've seen from his draft class. He anticipates plays and seems to always be involved. Defensively he cuts off lanes and creates pressure.

Forechecking:

Leonard is an aggressive forechecker who can both create turnovers and wear down defenders. He seems to have unlimited motor.

Defense:

Leonard's defense is well-polished for a kid his age. He is quick to move from the hashes to the point when covering and willing to take the body and block shots. I think he could even be an asset on the PK if asked to.

Best Asset:

IQ

Biggest Concern:

None really. If I had to nitpick I wonder if his 5'11" 190lb body can hold up to many years of his playstyle, but I generally dislike projecting injury risk.

Top Tier/Role Potential:

90+ point do-it-all player.

Justification for Top Tier Assessment:

The sky is the limit with Leonard's potential. I think he could be a 50-60 point NHLer next season, and if he gets an elite center he could do some real scoring damage the next decade.

50th Percentile Tier/Role:

65-70 point complementary power forward

Justification for 50th Percentile Tier Assessment:

I don't really see Leonard missing the top-6. At the low end maybe he's a second line energy guy like a Toronto Zach Hyman. I think most outcomes for him put him top-6 and PP1, probably top-3 on his team in points.

Stylistic Comparable:

Brad Marchand without the antics. Or the good seasons from Travis Konecny.

Scouts Final Thoughts and Additional Stats/Info:

Big fan. I think he's one of the most NHL-ready prospects out there.

Games Scouted:

NCAA Playoff games