Sammi Silber just reported that Ryan Leonard went down hard in a Capitals practice drill and was hurting for a moment.
Washington can't afford much bad news right now. The Capitals have lost two straight, and Leonard has been one of the few steady pieces in the lineup this season.
Silber noted that Leonard went down by the boards in a 1-on-1 drill and is in some discomfort, but stayed on the ice.
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According to Silber, he kept skating it off and continued practice. That's the part that matters most for now. A player who is done for the day usually leaves the ice, and he didn't.
Still, nobody should treat this as cleared. Leonard is listed with no injury status at the moment, and that can change quickly after a fall like that. Any update from Spencer Carbery or the team will tell us more.
Why Leonard matters to Washington's lineup
The 21-year-old has 5 goals and 5 assists in 14 games this season. Two of those goals have come on the power play, which has been a useful boost for a team sitting 20th in the NHL.
The Capitals are 8-6-0 and fourth in the Metropolitan Division, with a goal differential of just +1. Margins are thin. Losing a top-nine winger who can score on the man advantage would sting, especially with the schedule heating up.
Leonard went eighth overall in the 2023 draft, and the Capitals have leaned on him more each year. His career line sits at 98 games and 26 goals, so this is a player still climbing, and Washington needs that trajectory to continue.
Last time out, the Capitals dropped a 6-5 game to the Stars on Tuesday. Defense has been the issue, with 48 goals against already.
Next up is a Saturday date with the Panthers. Whether Leonard is in the lineup for that one is the question to watch as the team wraps up its work this week.
Should the Capitals sit Ryan Leonard against the Panthers as a precaution?
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