Capitals’ Ryan Leonard out 3-4 weeks with upper-body injury
The Washington Capitals announced Thursday that forward Ryan Leonard will be out for approximately three-to-four weeks with a shoulder injury.
#Caps Ryan Leonard sustained a shoulder injury during the game on Dec. 5 in Anaheim. Based on the injury and the expected course of rehabilitation, his projected recovery time is approximately 3-4 weeks.
— Capitals PR (@CapitalsPR) December 11, 2025
The news comes just days after Leonard was placed on injured reserve. He was injured in the Capitals’ Dec. 5 contest against the Anaheim Ducks after taking a hit from Ducks’ defenseman Jacob Trouba.
Leonard has seven goals and 11 assists for 18 points, averaging 13:20 of ice time in 29 games this season. The Northhampton, Mass., native has eight goals and 11 assists for 19 points in 38 career regular-season games.
Leonard, the No. 8 overall pick in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft, signed a three-year entry-level deal with the Capitals last March after his 2024-25 season with Boston College ended. He immediately joined the lineup and scored a goal in nine regular-season games, then recorded one assist in eight Stanley Cup Playoff games.
In two seasons at Boston College, Leonard scored 61 goals and 48 assists for 109 points and 84 penalty minutes in 78 NCAA games. He was a top-10 finalist for the 2025 Hobey Baker Award.
He also spent parts of two USHL seasons with the U.S. National Development Team, where he recorded 21 goals and 14 assists for 35 points in 50 games.
Internationally, Leonard won gold twice at the 2024 and 2025 World Junior Championships. In his second appearance, he was named tournament MVP, when he scored five goals and five assists for 10 points.
Going into Thursday’s slate of games, the Capitals are 18-9-3 with 39 points through 30 games in 2025-26, first in both the Metropolitan Division and Eastern Conference.