{"id":457720,"date":"2026-02-14T09:52:10","date_gmt":"2026-02-14T09:52:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/457720\/"},"modified":"2026-02-14T09:52:10","modified_gmt":"2026-02-14T09:52:10","slug":"griffins-expect-leonard-back-next-week-detroit-hockey-now","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/457720\/","title":{"rendered":"Griffins Expect Leonard Back Next Week \/ Detroit Hockey Now"},"content":{"rendered":"

GRAND RAPIDS \u2013 The short-term prognosis for Grand Rapids Griffins<\/a> forward John Leonard<\/a> is not as good as what the team was hoping to hear.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe thought he\u2019d maybe play this weekend, but it doesn\u2019t look like it,\u201d Griffins\u2019 coach Dan Watson said of the club\u2019s leading goal-scorer.<\/p>\n

The optimistic viewpoint is that no one is viewing Leonard being out of action for the long haul.<\/p>\n

John Leonard, brother of @Capitals<\/a> forward Ryan Leonard, has his first goal with the @DetroitRedWings<\/a>! \ud83d\udea8 pic.twitter.com\/LLNVdrgbrL<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 NHL (@NHL) December 20, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cNo, we\u2019re hoping short-term,\u201d Watson said. \u201cSo hopefully he\u2019s back by next weekend.\u201d<\/p>\n

Leonard suffered an undisclosed injury in the second-last game that Grand Rapids played before the break for the AHL All-Star Classic. The ailment resulted in Leonard being scratched from participating in the All-Star festivities.<\/p>\n

\u201cJust an injury that, you know, just continually doesn\u2019t get worse,\u201d Watson said. \u201cIt gets better, but there\u2019s still just a sharp pain that he\u2019s got to work through.\u201d<\/p>\n

Red Wings Also Counting On Griffins Leonard<\/p>\n

Minus Leonard and winger Eduards Tralmaks<\/a>, who\u2019s playing for Latvia at the Winter Olympics, the Griffins are missing 44 goals from their lineup. Leonard is second in the AHL and leading Grand Rapids with 26 goals in 32 games. Tralmaks has accounted for 18 goals this season.<\/p>\n

John Leonard ties things at two for the Grand Rapids Griffins. <\/p>\n

Love the pass from Amadeus Lombardi to Michael Brandsegg-Nygard.<\/p>\n

Also enjoy MBN doing a lil jump to allow Leonard’s snipe to get down the slot and into the back of the net. #gogrg<\/a> #lgrw<\/a> #ahl<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/Fghkp6BbLC<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Elaine Shircliff (@imaraindancer) January 14, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

The 27-year-old left-winger picked up two goals and two assists in nine games with the Red Wings. Leonard was displaying impressive offensive instincts during his Detroit stint.<\/p>\n

The inclination was that the Red Wings might recall Leonard<\/a> at some point after the Olympic break to provide the lineup with some much-needed scoring depth.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, he\u2019s certainly confident at the American League level,\u201d Detroit coach Todd McLellan<\/a> said. \u201cWhat he\u2019s done there and what that team has done is remarkable. But he\u2019s been a real big part of it.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe has (79 games of) NHL experience. I know he\u2019s got some speed. We played against him when he was with the Sharks in San Jose, so we know that he can make an impact on the game with his speed. But now his shot and his creativity offensively are coming to the forefront as well.\u201d<\/p>\n

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