The Detroit Red Wings have reassigned forward John Leonard to the American Hockey League’s Grand Rapids Griffins.
Leonard, 27, has appeared in 11 games with Detroit during the 2025-26 season, recording four points (2 goals, 2 assists). Standing 5-foot-11 and weighing 192 pounds, Leonard has also skated in 34 games with the Griffins this season. He is among the team leaders with 27 goals (1st), 41 points (1st), three power-play goals (T5th), three shorthanded goals (1st), eight game-winning goals (1st), 116 shots (3rd), and a 23.3 shooting percentage (1st).
Last season, Leonard played the full 2024-25 campaign with the AHL’s Charlotte Checkers, compiling 61 points (36 goals, 25 assists) in 72 games, a plus-21 rating, and 22 penalty minutes. He earned selection to the 2025 AHL All-Star Classic and was named to the league’s Second All-Star Team. Leonard added 14 points (8-6-14) and 18 penalty minutes in 18 postseason games, helping the Checkers reach the 2025 Calder Cup Finals.
Originally drafted by the San Jose Sharks in the sixth round (182nd overall) of the 2018 NHL Entry Draft, Leonard has accumulated 21 points (8-13-21) and four penalty minutes across 81 NHL games with San Jose, the Nashville Predators, the Arizona Coyotes, and Detroit since the 2020-21 season. In the AHL, he has totaled 212 points (110 goals, 102 assists) and 72 penalty minutes in 283 games for the Barracuda, Admirals, Roadrunners, Checkers, and Griffins. Leonard’s younger brother, Ryan Leonard, was selected eighth overall by the Washington Capitals in the 2023 NHL Draft.
A native of Westwood, New Jersey, Leonard played three seasons at the University of Massachusetts, posting 105 points (56 goals, 49 assists), a plus-30 rating, and 42 penalty minutes in 106 games from 2017-20. His junior year was particularly impressive, leading the NCAA with 27 goals in 33 games and earning First Team All-American and All-Hockey East First Team honors. Leonard also helped the Minutemen capture the Hockey East regular-season championship as a sophomore in 2018-19, earning All-Hockey East Second Team recognition.
Prior to college, Leonard spent two seasons with the Green Bay Gamblers in the United States Hockey League from 2015-17, tallying 43 points (24-19-43) in 106 games. He also starred at Springfield (Mass.) Cathedral High School, recording 151 points (91 goals, 60 assists) in 72 games over three seasons from 2012-15. On the international stage, Leonard represented Team USA at the 2015 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament, notching two points (1 goal, 1 assist) in four games.
With his reassignment to Grand Rapids, Leonard will look to continue building momentum in the AHL and provide veteran leadership while pushing for a return to the Red Wings lineup.
