Ryan Leonard, a prospect for the Washington Capitals, is captaining Team USA at the 2025 World Junior Championship. The goal is to win the tournament for the second consecutive year. The Capitals attempted to sign Leonard as a first-round pick in 2023, but he chose to stay at Boston College for another year. This allowed him to return to Team USA following a remarkable performance in the 2024 gold medal victory.
Leonard discussed his desire to continue his education with NHL Network’s Jon Morosi, as he is almost halfway through his second season. He has previously mentioned a variety of motivations that caused him to delay going pro, including his ambition to capture an NCAA title and the opportunity to win back-to-back gold medals at World Juniors. He also noted the advice of BC head coach Greg Brown.
“I believe the last game had a significant impact,” Leonard stated. “And then, dealing with Coach Brown at school, it’s actually becoming a pro in college before you’re a professional, where it’s a career with no way back. You look at the young kids who make it [to the NHL], and you struggle at first. And they always get over it, so why not be a little more prepared? And college is so much fun. You get to play in front of a student population that adores you, and you’re definitely looking to win another title.”
Boston College came one game away from winning it all this spring before losing 2-0 to the Denver Pioneers in the championship game. Still reeling from the setback, Leonard had to decide whether to chase another title opportunity or join the Capitals in their playoff push. He credited his brother John, who is now an AHL forward with the Charlotte Checkers, for assisting him in making the decision.
“[John] was my backbone for sure,” Leonard remarked. “It was a difficult decision, and it never crossed my mind until I was on that Zoom conversation and it actually happened. And then my mind was full of scenarios, ‘What should I really do?’ And then of course I called the one person who’s my best friend who’s already a professional hockey player and we talked for a good amount of time for sure. And then I told him I needed some space, so I made a pros and cons list, as well as notes from both of us. I really simply needed to sleep on it and spend some time alone. Ultimately, it is unquestionably the right decision.”
Boston College came one game away from winning it all this spring before losing 2-0 to the Denver Pioneers in the championship game. Still reeling from the setback, Leonard had to decide whether to chase another title opportunity or join the Capitals in their playoff push. He credited his brother John, who is now an AHL forward with the Charlotte Checkers, for assisting him in making the decision.
“[John] was my backbone for sure,” Leonard remarked. “It was a difficult decision, and it never crossed my mind until I was on that Zoom conversation and it actually happened. And then my mind was full of scenarios, ‘What should I really do?’ And then of course I called the one person who’s my best friend who’s already a professional hockey player and we talked for a good amount of time for sure. And then I told him I needed some space, so I made a pros and cons list, as well as notes from both of us. I really simply needed to sleep on it and spend some time alone. Ultimately, it is unquestionably the right decision.”
He further clarified: “My whole family, they’re all athletes, so they know how hard it is out there and how hard it is to compete against the best people in the world.”
Leonard’s confidence was on full show during the 2024 World Junior Championship. He scored six points (3g, 3a) in 7 games but his most iconic moment came in Team USA’s gold medal game against Sweden, when he scored in the third period before blowing a kiss to the largely-Swedish audience.
“Just a lot of emotion,” he told Morosi about the situation. “I mean, you go into a different building in a different nation, and it’s all yellow. And then, I don’t know how much [time] was left when I scored and I was like, ‘Wow. I mean, it’s almost impossible for them to come back now with this.’ So it was just crazy.”
As for the celebration, Leonard found plenty of humor in his fiery response.
“Everyone laughs about it,” he said. “It’s hilarious. So we’re a bunch of goofballs out there just playing the sport that we love and winning another gold medal. So it was great.”
With Leonard likely to go pro after his sophomore year at BC, this year will almost certainly mark his last chance to make his mark on the World Juniors stage. He performed well in Team USA’s first game of the tournament Thursday, putting up two assists in the 10-4 victory over Germany, and will look to extend the team’s winning streak against Latvia on Saturday.
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