Detroit Red Wings Reassign John Leonard
The Detroit Red Wings announced today that they have reassigned winger John Leonard to their AHL affiliate, the Grand Rapids Griffins.
This isn’t Leonard’s first transaction of the year, as he was recalled from the AHL on Jan. 4, ending a reassignment that began Dec. 31. Leonard had an impressive December, scoring two goals and four points in seven games for Detroit.
The 27-year-old’s quality performances in that handful of NHL games, as well as his affordable league-minimum cap hit, make him a candidate to be claimed off waivers if he’s exposed to the waiver wire again this year. Leonard already cleared waivers earlier this season, but NHL rules stipulate that his waiver exemption only lasts until he plays in 10 or more cumulative NHL games, or spends 30 or more cumulative days on fan NHL roster.
With nine total NHL games played to this point in 2025-26, Leonard is just one game from once again requiring waivers to be sent down. Rather than risk Leonard reaching that point tomorrow against the Montreal Canadiens, the Red Wings have elected to send Leonard back to Grand Rapids. He was exceptional in the AHL before his original recall, scoring 32 points in just 23 games.
While it’s entirely possible that Detroit may elect at some point to return Leonard to the roster and keep him there regardless of his waiver eligibility, it seems at this point that Leonard will return for a stretch to support the Griffins. Grand Rapids plays tonight against the Texas Stars, and a win would further extend the team’s massive lead at the top of the AHL standings. The Griffins have a 29-1-1 record so far in 2025-26.
Today’s transaction has potentially put an end to Leonard’s recent stretch in the NHL, and even if he remains in the AHL for some time, his strong performance in Detroit this season has come at an important time. He’s playing out a one-year, one-way $775K contract, and his play this season suggests he stands a strong chance at once again receiving a one-way deal for next season and potentially beyond.
Red Wings Recall John Leonard
This evening the Detroit Red Wings shared that John Leonard has been recalled from AHL Grand Rapids. No corresponding transaction was required.
The forward was sent back down on New Year’s Eve, not due to performance, but more a technical move to avoid waiver requirements. Had he stayed up for longer, the former sixth-round pick would become waiver eligible, where he’d become a surefire claim candidate. In his rehab stint of sorts, Leonard not surprisingly continued his elite AHL production, posting three more points in as many games with the Griffins. Now with seven fewer games in hand, Leonard has been surpassed as the AHL’s top scorer, but he impressively remains sixth despite spending notable time in the NHL now.
Originally earning the call up as a result of icon Patrick Kane‘s injury, Leonard made an immediate impact, with four points in seven games. Many such high scoring AHLers struggle to get top six opportunities at the highest level, but Detroit has made sure to avoid burying theirs. The sniper got to play on the second line with Andrew Copp and Alex DeBrincat, but once Kane returned, he was naturally bumped down, playing over five minutes less, at 7:31.
Plucking such a high level performer from their affiliate is never easy, but even without him, Grand Rapids has continued their all-time great results. They boast an insane 28-1-2 record, with 11 more points than the second-place Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. Even if Leonard can establish himself with Detroit as a secondary scorer this season, the team would likely replenish their AHL club with a top prospect such as Nate Danielson or Marco Kasper, who would may benefit from such a role on a dominant team.
Detroit takes on Ottawa tomorrow, where Leonard may re-enter the lineup. An UFA at season’s end, the 27-year-old has remained patient in his efforts to become a full time NHLer for the first time in five years, and at this rate, it hopefully may pay off.
Red Wings Reassign John Leonard
The Red Wings announced Tuesday night that they’ve assigned right winger John Leonard to AHL Grand Rapids. They’re left with an open roster spot.
Leonard’s demotion has little to do with his performance and more to do with roster management. The 27-year-old was recalled on Dec. 14 in the wake of an injury to Patrick Kane. In his first NHL action since March 2024 with the Coyotes, Leonard jumped into Kane’s spot on the second line alongside Andrew Copp and Alex DeBrincat. That line controlled 56.9% of expected goals at 5-on-5 while Leonard scored four points, including two goals, while averaging 12:16 of ice time per game.
However, Leonard’s ice time was slashed after Kane returned to the lineup for Sunday’s win over the Red Wings. He was shifted to fourth-line minutes with youngsters Nate Danielson and Marco Kasper, skating just 7:31.
If Detroit kept Leonard around for much longer, he would need waivers to return to Grand Rapids. He had played seven games and been rostered for 16 days since his recall, meaning he could only play three more games or stay on the roster for 14 days until Detroit would need to risk exposing him to the wire if they attempted to reassign him.
Considering his strong production in his brief NHL look and his electric AHL scoring line this season, the likelihood of him clearing waivers is slim. Grand Rapids, with its 26-1-1 record through 28 games, is on pace for the best regular season in league history. Leonard remains their leading scorer despite spending the last several days on the NHL roster, clicking at nearly a goal per game with a 19-10–29 scoring line in 20 appearances.
At some point, particularly if the Wings decide the struggling Danielson and Kasper could use more development time in the minors, they may recall Leonard and have him stick around for the rest of the season as a valuable top-nine pinch skater. With time on their side, though, they’ll punt that decision until they have to make it.
Red Wings Recall John Leonard, Assign Erik Gustafsson To AHL
The Detroit Red Wings shared tonight that forward John Leonard has been recalled from AHL Grand Rapids, and former NHL standout defenseman Erik Gustafsson is going back down in a corresponding transaction.
Leonard, 27, was inked to a one-year, two-way deal with Detroit over the summer. It was unlikely such was a signing to directly benefit the Red Wings, as the forward is more known as an AHL star at this point, however, his production with Grand Rapids has become too hard to ignore. The former UMass Minuteman native ranks third in league scoring, with 29 points in 20 games, and his 19 goals, just shy of one-per-game, ranks first in the AHL. The Griffins have an insane 22-1-1 record this season, boasting a team full of accomplished veterans, but they will certainly miss their leading scorer for as long as he stays with the big club.
Such a name as Leonard being called up may not excite Detroit fans as much as that of a top prospect, but Leonard’s goal scoring prowess in the AHL is seriously impressive, and well deserving of a chance at the highest level.
A sixth-round selection of San Jose in 2018, Leonard has mostly been an AHL “hired gun” of sorts, bouncing between various organizations in the last three seasons, including a standout 36 goals for the Charlotte Checkers last year, leading them to the Calder Cup finals. With 17 points in 70 career NHL games between San Jose, Nashville, and Arizona, Leonard’s NHL forecast is limited. However, he could earn an opportunity with Detroit, as Mason Appleton landed on IR late last week.
On the other hand, Gustafsson has bounced between Detroit and Grand Rapids throughout the season. The once highly productive offensive defenseman remains a skilled power-play specialist, but his defensive metrics have become too large at age 33. Gustafsson has appeared in just one game with Detroit, in late November, and otherwise is an extra depth option. With an expiring contract, the hope is that the veteran can find a change of scenery and end his NHL tenure on a higher note, but until then, he returns to be an elite AHL producer for the top ranked Griffins.
It is not often that a player sustains a near goal-per-game pace in the AHL, and Leonard could bring a spark to the Wings lineup, depending on his role. Considering his elite AHL production, perhaps the older brother of Capitals’ forward Ryan Leonard could finally earn his way into a legitimate NHL role after years of working to earn it.
Waivers: 10/1/25
With less than a week to go until the regular season, waiver season is in full swing. According to PuckPedia, the largest waiver placement of the preseason has taken place:
Boston Bruins
Colorado Avalanche
D Wyatt Aamodt
F Daniil Gushchin
Detroit Red Wings
F Sheldon Dries
D William Lagesson
F John Leonard
D Ian Mitchell
F Dominik Shine
F Austin Watson
Florida Panthers
F MacKenzie Entwistle
F Nolan Foote
F Wilmer Skoog
Los Angeles Kings
D Samuel Bolduc
F Logan Brown
F Martin Chromiak
G Pheonix Copley
F Glenn Gawdin
F Cole Guttman
D Joe Hicketts
F Andre Lee
F Akil Thomas
F Taylor Ward
Nashville Predators
Philadelphia Flyers
San Jose Sharks
Tampa Bay Lightning
F Nicholas Abruzzese
F Boris Katchouk
F Jakob Pelletier
Utah Mammoth
Washington Capitals
D Louis Belpedio
F Graeme Clarke
F Henrik Rybinski
F Bogdan Trineyev
Winnipeg Jets
East Notes: Primeau, Lettieri, Leonard
Hurricanes RFA goaltender Cayden Primeau signed a one-year, league minimum deal yesterday, according to a team release.
Primeau saw his signing rights transferred from Montreal to Carolina on Monday in exchange for a 2026 seventh-round pick. The 25-year-old bounced between the NHL and AHL for his first four professional seasons coming out of Northeastern University, but won a full-time roster spot with the Habs in 2023-24, in part due to their unwillingness to expose him to waivers.
He looked good in a three-goalie rotation with Sam Montembeault and Jake Allen that year but struggled mightily as Montembeault’s full-time No. 2 to begin last season. He posted an .836 SV% and sky-high 4.70 GAA with a 2-3-1 record in seven starts and four relief appearances before being waived in December, clearing and heading to AHL Laval.
Primeau got things back on track with a .926 SV% and 2.00 GAA in 25 games with Laval. The Canes hope he can carry that momentum into 2025-26 as he serves as the No. 3 behind the returning NHL tandem of Frederik Andersen and Pyotr Kochetkov, assuming he clears waivers again in the fall.
Here are a couple of other league minimum signings from yesterday:
- The Maple Leafs brought in veteran depth center Vinni Lettieri, per PuckPedia. While a one-way deal, that’s presumably to guarantee him more compensation. They’re hoping he clears waivers and can be an impact player for AHL Toronto after they lost some important pieces like Nicholas Abruzzese and Alex Steeves yesterday. The 30-year-old spent last year with the Bruins organization, recording five points in 26 NHL games and 48 points in 46 AHL games.
- The Red Wings announced a one-year, one-way league minimum deal for winger John Leonard yesterday. He joins their July 1 haul that also included James van Riemsdyk, Jacob Bernard-Docker, and Ian Mitchell. It’s the 26-year-old’s first NHL contract in a year – he spent last season on an AHL deal with Charlotte, leading the Calder Cup runner-ups in scoring with 36 goals, 25 assists, and 61 points in 72 games.
Panthers Sign John Leonard To PTO
After inking Matt Luff to a tryout last week, the Panthers aren’t done dipping their toes into the PTO market. They’ve also signed forward John Leonard to a tryout, per their training camp roster released Tuesday.
Leonard, 26, already has a contract for 2024-25 with Florida’s AHL affiliate, the Charlotte Checkers. He’ll remain in the organization even if he doesn’t land an NHL deal from his PTO.
Leonard’s PTO allows the Panthers to get some early looks at him in training camp instead of waiting until after the AHL’s regular season starts to decide whether to rip up his minor-league pact for a two-way NHL deal. He’d settled on joining the Florida organization early in free agency, inking his deal with the Checkers on July 2 instead of holding out hope for a two-way offer from a different NHL team.
A sixth-round pick of the Sharks in 2018, Leonard has bounced around frequently in his brief professional career. He turned pro with San Jose in 2020 following his junior season at UMass, settling into a full-time NHL role in his first professional season.
Leonard didn’t earn any Calder Trophy consideration, but he was a serviceable depth winger for the Sharks, posting 13 points in 44 games with a -7 rating. He failed to lock down a full-time roster spot with the Sharks the following year, though, spending most of 2021-22 with the AHL’s San Jose Barracuda.
Since then, he’s suited up with a different NHL organization every year. He split 2022-23 between the Predators and AHL’s Milwaukee Admirals before spending 2023-24 with the Coyotes and AHL’s Tucson Roadrunners. He’s logged just 26 NHL appearances total since his 44-game rookie season.
The likelihood of him landing a two-way deal with Florida is high, given they have four open contract slots and he’s seen NHL ice in each of the past four seasons. He’s been a serviceable top-six presence in the minors, posting 110 points in 177 career AHL contests. He also has six goals and 17 points in 70 NHL games.
Coyotes Recall Josh Doan
10:48 a.m.: The Coyotes have also assigned Leonard to AHL Tucson, per a team statement. The move brings them to 11 healthy forwards on the active roster without Doan, meaning they can bring him up on an emergency loan and conserve a standard recall.
8:00 a.m.: The Coyotes have recalled winger Josh Doan from AHL Tucson, GM Bill Armstrong told Craig Morgan of PHNX Sports late Sunday night. It’s the first major league callup for the 22-year-old, who Morgan says will make his NHL debut Tuesday against the Blue Jackets.
Arizona has no apparent or suspected absences among their 12 healthy forwards for tomorrow’s game, so this recall is likely a standard one, not an emergency loan. If so, the Yotes have burned their second of four post-trade deadline recalls after papering defenseman Michael Kesselring between leagues on deadline day.
An early second-round pick by the Coyotes in 2021 after going undrafted in 2020, Doan spent the following two seasons at Arizona State University, where he averaged just over a point per game and was awarded the captaincy in his sophomore season. The son of longtime Coyotes captain Shane Doan then inked his entry-level contract in March 2023, joining AHL Tucson on a tryout for the last 14 games of the regular season and their first-round playoff loss to Coachella Valley.
Some viewed the 6’1″ forward as a reach when the Coyotes made him the first overage selection in 2021, but he’s quieted most doubts with a season that should earn him some rookie of the year consideration in the minors. Doan has posted 26 goals and 46 points, leading the Roadrunners in both categories. He is only one of two players to suit up in all 62 games this season, joining defenseman Maksymilian Szuber.
A truly homegrown talent, the Scottsdale-born Doan has only played outside the Phoenix area for two seasons. From 2019 to 2021, he played at the major junior level with the USHL’s Chicago Steel. He’s been a massive part of Tucson’s turnaround this year, as they sit second in the Pacific Division after finishing under .500 in each of the last three seasons.
It’s unclear where Doan will slot into the Yotes’ lineup or how long they plan on keeping him around. A cursory look at their depth chart suggests he may debut in a third-line role alongside Matias Maccelli and Jack McBain, replacing 25-year-old farmhand John Leonard. In a few weeks, though, he’ll play an essential part in helping Tucson win their first playoff series since their Pacific Division semifinal win over San Jose in 2018, which remains the franchise’s only series victory since relocating to Tucson from Springfield in 2016.
Coyotes Sign John Leonard
Jul 3, 2:52 p.m.: Arizona has made the acquisition official, but did not confirm the terms of the contract.
Jul 2, 6:10 p.m.: The Coyotes are set to add some more forward depth as PHNX Sports’ Craig Morgan reports (Twitter link) that Arizona has agreed to terms with free agent winger John Leonard on a one-year, two-way contract. The deal will pay $775K in the NHL and $80K in the minors while having a guaranteed salary of $150K.
The 24-year-old was a sixth-round pick by San Jose back in 2018 and spent two years in their system before being moved to Nashville as part of the Luke Kunin trade last summer. Last season, he spent the bulk of the year with the Preds’ affiliate in Milwaukee, putting up 17 goals and 27 assists in 67 regular season games while chipping in with an assist in six postseason contests. However, they opted to non-tender him on Friday, making him an unrestricted free agent.
Leonard has seen NHL action in each of his three professional campaigns, including six with the Predators last season, scoring once. All told, he has 64 career appearances at the top level, tallying five goals and 11 assists while logging an average of a little over 11 minutes per night.
Leonard is likely to start the season with Arizona’s AHL affiliate in Tucson but should be among the early candidates for a recall. If things go well for him in 2023-24, the Coyotes can retain his rights as an arbitration-eligible restricted free agent through the 2025-26 campaign.
Predators Place John Leonard On Waivers
April 5: Leonard has cleared waivers and been assigned to the AHL’s Milwaukee Admirals, Nashville announced today.
April 4: Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reports that the Nashville Predators have placed forward John Leonard on waivers. Leonard was recalled by the Predators on an emergency loan yesterday. The forward was acquired by the Predators from the San Jose Sharks in the trade for Luke Kunin.
Leonard was originally drafted in the sixth round of the 2018 NHL Draft by the Sharks out of the University of Massachusetts-Amherst. As he made his transition to the NHL, Leonard scored three goals and 10 assists in his first 44 games in the professional leagues.
During last year, Leonard primarily played for the Sharks’ AHL affiliate San Jose Barracuda, scoring 17 goals and 15 assists in only 45 games played. Although he was scoring over a 0.5 PPG basis in the AHL last season, Leonard posted a dreadful -28 +/-, leading to serious questions about his play on the defensive side of the puck.
As he was acquired from Nashville over the summer, Leonard has once again played a majority of his year in the AHL, this time playing for the Predators’ AHL affiliate Milwaukee Admirals. Although he is still scoring over a 0.5 PPG basis, his offensive output is slightly down this season. Playing in 61 games for the Admirals, the forward has 14 goals and 24 assists. For the next 24 hours, Leonard will be sitting in roster limbo, as every team will have the opportunity to claim him, or the Predators will stow him back down in the AHL.