2024 World Junior Tournament Summaries For Capitals Prospects Ryan Leonard And Ryan Chesley


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The 2024 World Junior tournament was once again filled with excitement and intense action. Two Washington Capitals prospects participated in the tournament, both of whom were wearing red, white and blue: Ryan Leonard, the Capitals’ eighth-overall selection, and Ryan Chesley, Washington’s 2022 second-round pick.

Both prospects were excellent in Team USA’s sixth Gold Medal. Leonard finished the tournament with six points (three goals, three assists) in seven games and Chesley finished with four points (one goal, three assists) and was third in the entire tournament with a plus/minus rating of +9.

We documented each of their performances game-by-game throughout the tournament. 

Dec. 26: USA defeats Norway 4-1 in Preliminary Matchup:

Leonard had a solid first game and once again made an impact on every shift. He was once again paired with Boston College teammates and linemates Will Smith and Gabe Perreault and the trio had its fair share of looks.

Leonard had the secondary assist on Gavin Brindley’s goal to make it 2-0 Americans. This tally turned out to be the game-winner.

The freshman winger had a team-leading eight shots on goal and also had two penalties. Leonard almost had two highlight-reel goals. The first being an in-between the legs move on a Norway defenseman, but was stuffed by Norway goaltender Markus Stensrud. The other was a spin-o-rama move and he was once again stopped, but he drew a penalty on the play. This led to the Brindley goal.

After being the extra defenseman in last year’s tournament, Chesley was decent in his first game of the tournament. The sophomore out of Minnesota skated on the top pair with Boston University’s Lane Hutson and had some nice keep-ins. He was a plus-1 and played 18:27 worth of ice time. He did get burned on a breakaway, but USA goaltender Trey Augustine bailed him out.

So it was an overall solid first game for the two prospects. 

Dec. 28: USA Defeats Switzerland 11-3 In Preliminary Matchup.

The US put up an offensive onslaught right from the drop of the puck. Leonard and Chesley continued to play their games and had really solid showings once again. After drawing a penalty, Leonard scored on the same power play to make it 7-1 USA. It was another gritty goal in front of the net.

Leonard had two shots on goal but continued to generate so many chances for his team. Chesley looked solid with his skating and had an extended shift in the third period when Switzerland was on the power play. Chesley was a plus-1 and earned 16:45 of ice time.

Dec. 29: USA Defeats Czech Republic 4-3 in a shootout in Preliminary Matchup

This was the most challenging game for the US up to this point. It was a back and forth affair and the Americans easily could have lost. They struggled with their defensive structure but the offense was able to rebound.

Leonard once again got on the scoresheet, with the primary assist on Will Smith’s tally mid way through the second period to tie the game at two.

With the US down 3-2 late in the second period, Chesley earned his first point of the tournament and it was a clutch moment. Forward Isaac Howard had the puck below the goal line and Chesley was sneaking up in the play waiting for a one timer. Howard fed it over right in Chesley’s wheelhouse and he made no mistake.

Later in the period, Leonard had a key shot block but was shaken up on the play. He was able to return. He finished the game with two shots on goal.

Dec. 31: USA demolishes Slovakia 10-2 to Clinch Group B

In the final game of the preliminary series, both the team and the two prospects came to play. The Americans got off to another good start and Rutger McGroarty made it 1-0 on a wrap-around try. Chesley had the secondary assist on the goal after throwing the puck on net, and McGroarty was able to find the loose change and put it past Slovak goaltender Samuel Urban.

Slovakia tied the game at one and the US eventually took a 3-1 lead. Chesley had his second point of the game with the secondary assist on Gavin Brindley’s highlight-reel shorthanded goal.

The Slovak’s brought the game within one, but Leonard came up in the clutch, extending the U.S’s lead to 4-2. Leonard was doing an excellent job of crashing the net and once again creating more chances. In the second period, he had a two-on-one, but a Slovakian defenseman forced the puck away with his stick.

Chesley and Leonard each had one shot on goal. Leonard earned 16:20 worth of ice time and Chesley earned 18:27.

The US clinched Group B and would play Latvia for their first knockout game.

Jan. 2: USA Defeats Latvia 7-2 to advance to Semifinals

It was another offensive onslaught for the Americans. Both Chesley and Leonard played solid games once again. Leonard’s playmaking ability was on full display in this game. He sent a perfect stretch pass to Gabe Perreault and he fed it across to Will Smith to make it 5-1 USA.

Leonard finished the game with three shots on goal and 13:46 worth of ice time.

Chesley continued to get quality ice time with Lane Hutson and had three shots on goal and 18:04 worth of ice time.

Jan. 4: USA Defeats Finland 3-2 to advance to Gold Medal game

The Americans got off to a slow start trailing 2-0 after the first period. Chesley and Leonard struggle to find their games in the first along with the rest of the team. Chesley was on the ice for Rasmus Kumpluainen’s goal, which made it 2-0 Finland.

The US had no energy in the first period and struggle to execute. But it was a complete 180 in the second period. Leonard and the BC line was getting looks in the second but failed to convert. The Americans were firing everything at Finnish goaltender Niklas Kokko.

After Jimmy Snuggerud brought the deficit to one, Will Smith tied the game at two on a backdoor feed from Gabe Perreault. Chesley had the secondary assist on the tally. He kept the puck in the offensive zone which started the whole play.

Later in the third period, Chesley had a golden opportunity to give the US the lead short handed but Kokko denied him with the glove.

The US outplayed the Finns for the entire third period. There was a play where Leonard kept the puck alive in the offensive zone and the Americans had so much sustained pressure because of it.

Cutter Gauthier scored the game winning goal on the power play to send the US to the Gold Medal game to take on Team Sweden. Leonard was on the ice for the goal.

Chesley had five shots on goal and earned a whopping 25:13 of ice time. Leonard was once again a scoring chance machine and started to get involved in some extracurricular activities. Leonard was a minus-1 and earned 13:04 worth of ice time. Leonard also blocked a shot late in the game.

Jan. 5: USA Clinches Gold defeating Sweden 6-2. 

It was an electric atmosphere for the Gold Medal game. Much of the crowd dressed in yellow and blue to cheer on the hometown Swedes.

In the first few minutes of the game, Chesley missed a Swedish defenseman on a pinch. But with four minutes left in the period, he threaded the needle with a terrific stretch pass to Quinn Finley and sent him on a breakaway, but Sweden goaltender Hugo Havelid denied him with the pad. 

With the Americans up 3-1, the Swedes made it a one goal game on the power play with five seconds left in the second period. On Jonathan Lekkerimäki’s shot, the puck deflected off of Chesley’s body and over the glove side of Trey Augustine.

Leonard and the BC line continued to make a push and they were on the ice for Zeev Buium’s one-time blast to make it 4-2. It was all Team USA for the rest of the game and the Capitals’ eighth-overall selection made headlines on his goal which made it 5-2 USA.

Leonard’s work ethic and hustle was on full display on his goal. He outmuscled a Swedish defender in a puck battle and cut to the middle of the ice to snipe one over Havelid’s blocker side.

His celebration at the end was incredible.

Leonard’s goal would be the dagger and the Americans would go on to win 6-2 and win the Gold Medal for the sixth time ever.

Leonard finished the game with two shots on goal and 13:27 of ice time. Chesley on the other hand was a plus-2 and had 25:16 worth of ice time. 

By Jacob Cheris





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