Red Wings Sign John Leonard To One-Year Extension

The Detroit Red Wings announced that forward John Leonard has inked a one-year contract extension worth $850k, as he’ll avoid unrestricted free agency this summer.

A 27-year-old with 81 NHL games under his belt, the news won’t do much to ease tension within Detroit’s fan base, after season short of the postseason which ended with a surprising 8-1 defeat last night. Regardless, Leonard’s scoring touch has played a huge part in their AHL club, the Grand Rapids Griffins’ spectacular campaign where they’ve posted a 50-15-4 record, good for second behind the Providence Bruins.

Selected in the sixth round by the Sharks in 2018, Leonard was quickly injected into the San Jose lineup right out of college, playing 44 games in his first professional season six years ago. A top collegiate scorer and Hobey Baker finalist with the University of Massachusetts-Amherst, expectations were high. The hope was that the club had snagged a draft steal to supplement a core still in the Logan Couture/Brent Burns era.

Understandably unable to make much offensive impact as an under-the-radar rookie receiving limited ice time, Leonard still posted a respectable 48.1% corsi for at five-on-five. That number fell drastically the next year, and as a result the New Jersey native spent more time in the AHL.

Catching on with the Nashville Predators organization in 2022, Leonard spent most of that campaign with the Milwaukee Admirals, ranking second in team scoring with 44 points in 67 games. He then made stops with the Coyotes, as well as the Charlotte Checkers, breaking out with an eye-popping 36 goals in 72 AHL games with the Checkers in 2024-25, tied for second in the league that year.

The efforts caught the attention of the Red Wings last summer, who quickly scooped him up on July 1 with a one-year contract worth $775k. Leonard has made most of his presence in Grand Rapids, further solidifying himself as an elite AHLer, where he buried 32 goals in just 46 games, fourth best in the league despite his counterparts playing as many as 20 games more.

First called up in mid-December, Leonard quickly provided a spark with four points in his first six games as a Wing. A role catered to his offensive skill set was harder to find with the roster at full health however, and he was held off the score sheet in his five remaining games with the big club this season.

With veteran forwards James Van Riemsdyk and David Perron‘s contracts set to expire, Leonard should have an opportunity to hold down a full time NHL role next fall. Even if it’s not meant to be, the winger will continue to be a huge piece in Grand Rapids, capable of spot-call up duty whenever needed.