Washington Capitals prospect Ryan Leonard has been invited to the 2025 NHLPA Rookie Showcase, which will be held on September 3rd at MedStar Capitals Iceplex in Arlington, Virginia. The annual event, hosted by the National Hockey League Players' Association (NHLPA) and Upper Deck, brings together over 30 of the NHL's top young prospects and rookies.

The NHLPA Rookie Showcase provides Upper Deck, the official trading card partner of the NHL and NHLPA, with the opportunity to capture photos and videos of the players in their official NHL team uniforms. This content is then used to create the players' first NHL and NHLPA licensed rookie trading cards, as well as other promotional materials.

Leonard, born on January 21, 2005, was drafted eighth overall by the Capitals in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft. The American forward signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Capitals on March 31, 2025. He made his NHL debut the following day against the Boston Bruins. On April 4, Leonard scored his first career goal in a 5–3 win against the Chicago Blackhawks.

Before joining the Capitals, Leonard played college hockey at Boston College. During his freshman year (2023-24), he recorded 31 goals and 29 assists in 41 games. Following the season, he was named to the All-Hockey East Second Team, Hockey East All-Rookie Team, and an AHCA East Second Team All-American. In his sophomore year (2024-25), he tallied 30 goals and 19 assists in 37 games, leading the NCAA in goals. Leonard became the first player with consecutive 30-goal seasons since Cam Atkinson in the 2009–10 and 2010–11 seasons. He was also named Hockey East Player of the Year and was a Hobey Baker Hat-Trick Finalist.

Leonard has also represented the United States in international competition. He won a silver medal at the 2022 U18 World Junior Championship (WJC) and a gold medal at the 2023 U18 WJC, where he also scored the game-winning goal in overtime of the championship game against Sweden. Leonard was named to the United States junior team for the 2024 World Junior Championships, where he won another gold medal. He also won gold at the 2025 World Junior Championship and was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player.

Ryan Leonard is considered one of the Capitals' top prospects. He is known for his intensity and ability to impact the game in many ways. Some observers believe Leonard is ready to make an impact in the NHL as early as October. In addition to Leonard, other Capitals prospects include Andrew Cristall, Ilya Protas, Ivan Miroshnichenko, and Lynden Lakovic.