SO SAD: This Is The End Of The Journey Am Done I Won’t Play Again “RYAN LEONARD” Says As He Depart In The…

Midway through April, Ryan Leonard’s return to Boston College for his sophomore season was revealed by the Washington Capitals. However, because of a potential chain reaction that began with the 2024 NHL Draft Lottery, not all members of the hockey media think it will occur.

With the first overall pick, the San Jose Sharks were able to select Macklin Celebrini, a top player from Boston University. Celebrini’s move to San Jose may also indicate that Will Smith, another Sharks prospect, will join with San Jose and forgo his second season at Boston College, according to a report from Colby Cohen of Daily Faceoff.

Despite the decision of the top prospect, Cohen and Frank Seravalli predict that Smith’s departure implies the Capitals will reconvene with his linemate Leonard.

There are just three collegiate players representing Team USA in the 2024 IIHF World Championship, Leonard and Smith included. With a 2-0 loss to the Denver Pioneers in the national championship game, the two Boston College players concluded their stellar rookie seasons with the Eagles in early April.

With 60 points (31g, 29a) from 40 games at the completion of his debut NCAA season, Leonard had the third-highest goal total in the nation. His 31 goals broke the previous school record for the most goals scored by a rookie. Brian Gionta had owned the previous record (30) since 1998.

The 19-year-old winger turned down the Capitals’ offer to sign an entry-level NHL contract prior to Washington’s playoff series against the New York Rangers in the first round. It is not uncommon, though, for college athletes to initially pledge to stay on for several years at their schools before deciding to transfer later in the summer.

The most recent instance was over the summer. In late May, Logan Cooley, the first-round pick of the Arizona Coyotes in the 2022 draft, announced his commitment to play his second year at the University of Minnesota. Two months later, on July 27, Cooley signed an entry-level contract with the Coyotes after having second thoughts.

After this year’s draft, Leonard may decide to follow the same course of action when he re-joins the Capitals for development camp. With Smith entering the professional ranks, there is a significant chance that will happen because Leonard has been playing on a line with Smith and New York Rangers prospect Gabe Perreault for a number of years, which predates their time at Boston College.

After being paired together for the US National Development Team Program, where they all played for two years, the trio became friends. Throughout the USA’s triumphant march to gold medals at the 2023 U18 World Juniors and 2024 U20 World Juniors, the relationship persisted.

The young forward appeared NHL-ready in Rookie Camp, according to Capitals general manager Brian MacLellan, who made this statement before the player’s first NCAA game. Leonard will fit in well for Washington because the team is expected to lose wingers Max Pacioretty and Nicolas Aube-Kubel this summer as unrestricted free agents. Because of his ongoing back problems, TJ Oshie is also making decisions about his future.