Film Room: Ryan Leonard's unique physicality and skill make him one of 2023 NHL Draft's best forwards

Ryan Leonard backs down from no one, hits everyone, and has the skill to create offence.

As the draft inches closer, he’s become the talk of the prospect community, with a lot of emphasis on the former two and not as much on the latter. 

That’s a mistake. While Leonard’s unique level of physicality and chaos creation stands alone in this draft class, his offensive skills compare to the top forwards in the draft class (well, with some exceptions), and if not, the potential’s comparable. 

With an NHL shot, fast-twitch handling, dynamic rushes, and exciting playmaking flashes, he has a near-full offensive kit. No one in the draft creates space in as many ways as him, a skill that will surely translate to the NHL, and his underlying metrics suggest a player undervalued by the box scores.