There is never a shortage of Boston College hockey fans at TD Garden, even on a Tuesday night in April. Tonight, however, the sea of maroon and gold is not just a coincidental fashion statement: BC students, alumni, and fans have shelled out to support sophomore superstar Ryan Leonard in his National Hockey League debut.
Excitement rings through the crowd ahead of Leonard’s rookie lap– a longtime NHL tradition and rite of passage for debutants. As he steps out of the tunnel and onto the ice as a Washington Capital, the cheers of his Boston College teammates can be heard from along the glass. Even from the upper bowl, you can catch the glare of plexiglass panels as they ripple from the incessant pounding of his proud friends.
Ryan Leonard wasted no time in concreting his NHL career, hitting the ice with the Washington Capitals only 48 hours after a devastating 3-1 loss in the NCAA Playoffs. Despite a tireless effort from Leonard and his teammates, defending NCAA champion Denver University sent the Eagles home on broken wings.
BC hockey fans did not have to wait long for good news, however, as news of Leonard’s endorsement on an Entry-Level-Contract broke the next afternoon. Leonard, who was drafted 8th overall by the Capitals in the 2023 draft, ended his NCAA career March 31st, 2025, boasting 109 points (61 goals and 48 assists) in his two years at Boston College. Expectations were high for the Hockey East Player of the Year, who was slated to debut Tuesday night in his hometown versus the Boston Bruins alongside living legend, Alexander Ovechkin.
Tuesday, April 1st, our alternate captain logged a total of 14:14 ice time over twenty shifts, debuting on the Capitals’ first offensive line. BC students cheered for every hit, pass, and shift change made by the rookie, who fell naturally into place with Washington’s veteran offense. During the first period of Leonard’s debut teammate Ovechkin scored his 891st goal, leaving him only five goals away from breaking Wayne Gretzky’s all-time goal scoring record. Leonard left his hometown behind Tuesday in a 4-3 win over the Boston Bruins to begin his professional career.
Wednesday, April 2nd, Ryan Leonard and his new team travelled to Raleigh for a highly anticipated heavyweight match versus the Carolina Hurricanes. Despite a wide-gapped 5-1 loss for the Capitals, Leonard continued to find his home on the ice, logging 15:46 of ice time and his first shot on goal. Ovechkin scored his 892nd goal in Carolina, setting him up three from the record.
Leonard made his home debut in his new home–Washington D.C.–on Friday. The home stand was an eventful one for both Leonard and record-chasing Ovechkin. The Washington veteran tied Wayne Gretzky’s all-time goal scoring record in the first period, tallying goals 893 and 894 against Chicago’s goalie–Boston College alum Spencer Knight– in only the first period.
Ryan Leonard joined him on the scoreboard, earning his first NHL goal on an empty net, after the Chicago Blackhawks pulled BC’s Spencer Knight in the third period. In a conversation postgame, Leonard– who had a Self, Mind, and Society quiz due Sunday evening–was congratulated on his empty-net goal by ‘The Great One’ Wayne Gretzky. Friday’s numbers showed 13:01 TOI, 17 shifts, 4 SOG, and 1G.
Riding the high of Friday through the weekend, Leonard and the Capitals arrived in Long Island with Ovechkin one goal away from holding the all-time goal scoring record. This Sunday game also marked exactly one week since Boston College was knocked out of the NCAA playoffs. Now, though, $25 student tickets paled in comparison to the $3,000 price tag on the cheapest ticket to Leonard’s fourth professional game.
07:26 into the second period, Leonard and his new team cleared the benches as Ovechkin broke the all-time goal scoring record with his 895th. After the excitement, speeches, and team photos, the Islanders handed WSH a 4-1 loss to end Leonard’s rookie week.
When asked to describe his last ten days with one word for a video on the Capitals’ Instagram, Ryan Leonard chose “Weird.” Between the continued pursuit of his degree at Boston College (WSH reports that yes, Leonard submitted his quiz on time Sunday night after helping Ovi claim the record) and the Capitals’ upcoming playoff push for the Stanley Cup, it is obvious Boston College’s Ryan Leonard has a very bright career ahead of him.
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