DETROIT – The Detroit Red Wings today signed forward John Leonard to a one-year contract extension with an average annual value of $850,000.
Leonard, 27, recorded four points (2-2-4) in 11 games with the Red Wings during the 2025-26 season. The 5-foot-11, 192-pound forward has also skated in 46 games with the American Hockey League’s Grand Rapids Griffins this season and ranks among the team leaders with 32 goals (1st), 21 assists (T4th), 53 points (1st), five power play goals (T3rd), five shorthanded goals (1st), eight game-winning goals (T1st), 160 shots (1st) and a 20.0 shooting percentage (T2nd). Leonard earned a place on the 2025-26 AHL Second All-Star Team, marking his second-consecutive Second Team selection. Leonard spent the entire 2024-25 campaign with the AHL’s Charlotte Checkers, logging 61 points (36-25-61), a plus-21 rating and 22 penalty minutes in 72 regular-season games, representing the club at the 2025 AHL All-Star Classic. Leonard also tallied 14 points (8-6-14) and 18 penalty minutes in 18 postseason contests, helping the Checkers reach the 2025 Calder Cup Finals. Originally selected by the San Jose Sharks in the sixth round (182nd overall) of the 2018 NHL Entry Draft, Leonard has registered 21 points (8-13-21) and four penalty minutes in 81 regular-season games with the Sharks, Nashville Predators, Arizona Coyotes and Red Wings since 2020-21. Leonard has also compiled 224 points (115-109-224) and 78 penalty minutes in 295 AHL games with the San Jose Barracuda, Milwaukee Admirals, Tucson Roadrunners, Checkers and Griffins. He is the older brother of Ryan Leonard, who was selected by the Washington Capitals in the first round (8th overall) of the 2023 NHL Entry Draft.
A native of Westwood, N.J., Leonard played three seasons at the University of Massachusetts prior to turning professional, recording 105 points (56-49-105), a plus-30 rating and 42 penalty minutes in 106 games from 2017-20. Leonard was a First Team All-American and a Hockey East First-Team All-Star after leading the NCAA with 27 goals in 33 games as a junior in 2019-20. He was also a Hockey East Second-Team All-Star after helping the Minutemen win a Hockey East regular-season championship as a sophomore in 2018-19. Leonard spent two seasons with the Green Bay Gamblers in the United States Hockey League from 2015-17, logging 43 points (24-19-43), a plus-four rating and 30 penalty minutes in 106 games. Additionally, Leonard played three seasons at Springfield (Mass.) Cathedral High from 2012-15, totaling 151 points (91-60-151) in 72 games. On the international stage, Leonard represented Team USA at the 2015 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament, finishing with two points (1-1-2) in four games.
