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The Detroit Red Wings' farm system saw one of its most notable breakout performances in recent memory this past season in winger John Leonard, who dominated at the AHL level for the Grand Rapids Griffins.
The 27-year-old finished the year with 33 goals and 21 assists for 54 points in just 47 games, leading the Griffins in scoring during a record-breaking season for the franchise and earning a spot on the AHL's Second All-Star Team for the second consecutive year.
When Leonard finally got extended NHL minutes, he made the most of them too, recording two goals and two assists for four points across 11 games with Detroit over a pair of recalls. It was enough to have some believing he could carve out a role in the bottom of Detroit's lineup, and he'll need to bring that same level of production next season as he enters a contract year, having signed a one-year extension in April.
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Detroit could look to give the former San Jose Sharks sixth-round pick, 182nd overall in 2018, an extended NHL look this coming season. Leonard has been an AHL standout for years now, first with Charlotte and now Grand Rapids, but hasn't gotten a real, extended chance at the NHL level since his rookie season back in 2021-22, when he was still in the San Jose organization.
Since then, he bounced through Nashville and Arizona before signing with Detroit last summer, using a career-high 36-goal season in Charlotte to earn his one-way deal.
If Leonard can't find his way into a full-time role with the Red Wings this season, the hope internally would likely be that Detroit can either finally carve out a spot for him in the bottom six or, if that doesn't materialize, find a trade partner willing to give him the full-time NHL opportunity he's earned through his AHL production.
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The 27-year-old finished the year with 33 goals and 21 assists for 54 points in just 47 games, leading the Griffins in scoring during a record-breaking season for the franchise and earning a spot on the AHL's Second All-Star Team for the second consecutive year.
When Leonard finally got extended NHL minutes, he made the most of them too, recording two goals and two assists for four points across 11 games with Detroit over a pair of recalls. It was enough to have some believing he could carve out a role in the bottom of Detroit's lineup, and he'll need to bring that same level of production next season as he enters a contract year, having signed a one-year extension in April.
Bookmark The Hockey News Detroit Red Wings team site to stay connected to the latest news, game-day coverage, and player features.
Detroit could look to give the former San Jose Sharks sixth-round pick, 182nd overall in 2018, an extended NHL look this coming season. Leonard has been an AHL standout for years now, first with Charlotte and now Grand Rapids, but hasn't gotten a real, extended chance at the NHL level since his rookie season back in 2021-22, when he was still in the San Jose organization.
Since then, he bounced through Nashville and Arizona before signing with Detroit last summer, using a career-high 36-goal season in Charlotte to earn his one-way deal.
If Leonard can't find his way into a full-time role with the Red Wings this season, the hope internally would likely be that Detroit can either finally carve out a spot for him in the bottom six or, if that doesn't materialize, find a trade partner willing to give him the full-time NHL opportunity he's earned through his AHL production.
Never miss a story by adding us to your Google News favorites!
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For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
Continue reading...
