Capitals Have Secret Weapon for Postseason Run

The Washington Capitals have a secret weapon for the 2025 postseason.

Apr 11, 2024; Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA; Boston College Eagles forward Ryan Leonard (9) looks on in the semifinals of the 2024 Frozen Four college ice hockey tournament against the Michigan Wolverines at Xcel Energy Center. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-Imagn Images / Brace Hemmelgarn-Imagn Images

The Washington Capitals have a secret weapon waiting to help their team down the stretch and into the postseason. The Caps are one of the best teams in the NHL this season, with a 26-10-3 record and a four-point lead at the top of the Metropolitan Division.

And still, the Capitals have a player not even in their lineup right now that could be a huge impact player come playoff time. 2023 first-round pick and current Boston College star forward Ryan Leonard is the team's top prospect and one of the best players outside of the NHL right now. He just led the the United States U20 team to their second straight gold medal at the 2025 World Junior Championship.

Leonard's performance at BC and at the WJC the past two seasons has put him not only high up on the Capitals' radar, it also captured the attention of the entire hockey world. As the captain of the USA team at the 2025 WJC, he was named the tournament's best forward and MVP, scoring five goals and five assists over seven games. He was a dominant force for the entire event and was an excellent leader for his teammates.

Over the past season and a half with the Boston College Eagles, Leonard has cemented himself as a top prospect. The reputation is growing and the consensus is that he will be an immediate impact player for the Capitals. As a freshman, he recorded 31 goals and 29 assists for 60 points over 41 games. This year before he missed roughly a month of action due to the WJC process, he had 12 goals and seven assists for 19 points in just 16 games.

It's reminiscent of another Boston College forward who joined his team for a postseason run and it kickstarted an excellent career. Chris Kreider of the New York Rangers broke into the NHL after scoring 20+ goals in consecutive years for BC. His first NHL action came in the postseason, where he scored five goals and seven points in 18 games. It was the start of a career that's generated over 300 goals in less than 1,000 games.

Leonard's ceiling is even higher. He's a top-six forward, for sure, but could also be a player who comes in and assumes both a first-line and a leadership role for the Capitals moving forward. He might just also be this team's secret weapon heading into the 2025 NHL Playoffs.

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