One of the Capitals’ rising stars will remain in Washington for the foreseeable future. The franchise signed forward Ryan Leonard to an eight-year, $84 million contract extension on Tuesday.
Leonard, 21, is now under contract with Washington through the 2034-35 season. The Boston College product recorded 45 points — 20 goals and 25 assists — during his rookie campaign last season.
He was the first Capitals rookie since Alex Ovechkin to score that many goals in his first full NHL season.
“We are extremely excited to sign Ryan to a long-term contract with our club,” Capitals general manager Chris Patrick said in a statement. “Ryan is a young and talented player who is still years away from entering his prime, and we believe he has tremendous potential to continue growing into an important player for our organization.”
The Capitals selected Leonard with the eighth overall pick in the 2023 draft. After starring at Boston College, he joined Washington for the final nine games of the 2024-25 regular season.
He quickly proved that he belonged at the NHL level. The Massachusetts native impressed with his physicality, scoring instincts and strong shot.
Leonard showed enough talent in his first 84 games to earn the extension worth $10.5 million per year. He was scheduled to become a restricted free agent at the end of the upcoming season following the expiration of his entry-level contract.
The Capitals did not want him to hit the market.
“While reaching his full potential will take time, we have been impressed with his work ethic and the way he continues to develop his game,” Patrick said. “We are confident in Ryan’s ability to continue improving as a hockey player, and we believe this agreement provides him with the opportunity to grow and develop within our organization while giving us the ability to keep a talented young player in our lineup for years to come.”
Leonard’s salary for the 2027-28 season is tied for the highest on Washington’s roster with the newly added Alex Tuch.
Tuesday’s announcement was timely for Leonard and the Capitals. The NHL’s new collective bargaining agreement takes effect on Wednesday, limiting the contract lengths available to players in negotiations.
Under the new policy, players can sign extensions of only up to seven years or new deals of six years when they hit free agency.
Washington wasn’t the only team aware of the upcoming deadline. The Ottawa Senators inked an eight-year, $86 million deal with winger Drake Batherson. It marked the richest contract in franchise history.
Batherson and Leonard are the 32nd and 33rd players to sign eight-year contracts since the NHL announced in June 2025 that the next collective bargaining agreement would further limit the length of deals. Twelve of those deals have arrived in the last three months, with the deadline bearing down.
Stars like Vegas Golden Knights center Jack Eichel, Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar and Anaheim Ducks forward Leo Carlsson have sought out the eight-year offers o for added stability amid a rising salary cap.
Leonard’s extension was the final piece of an active offseason for Patrick and the Capitals. The franchise added a handful of players through trades and free agency, including Tuch, former Columbus Blue Jackets captain Boone Jenner and All-Star forward Jordan Kyrou.
Ovechkin shrugged off retirement for another season after the first wave of moves, instead agreeing to a one-year, $4.25 million deal for his age-41 season.
“We are excited about the additions we made this offseason to bolster our lineup and make our group more competitive,” Patrick said when Ovechkin signed the new contract. “We believe that our roster is well balanced and will help create more opportunities for Alex to create offense and score goals.”
The new-look Capitals open training camp on Thursday. Their preseason slate starts with an exhibition against the Bruins in Boston on Sunday.
The Capitals open the regular season on Oct. 2 in Carolina against the defending champion Hurricanes.
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