NHL Future Watch: John Leonard Hockey Cards, San Jose SharksNHL Future Watch: John Leonard Hockey Cards, San Jose SharksJohn Leonard was drafted by the San Jose Sharks with the 182 overall pick in the 2018 NHL Draft. The odds of a player getting drafted that late playing in the NHL for any length of time are slim. So slim, that it’s worth mentioning Leonard will buck the odds to be an outlier.

Leonard made a name for himself in the USHL with the Green Bay Gamblers. He could have been drafted in his first season there in 2016 but wasn’t. In his second season, he had 19 goals and 34 points in 58 games and went undrafted again.

He then committed to UMass Amherst. In that first season, Leonard had 13 goals and 28 points in 33 games. The NHL took notice, and the Sharks drafted him. For the next two seasons, Leonard was more than a point-per-game player. He was voted a First-Team All-American, First All-Star, he led the NCAA in goals with 27 in his last season there in 2019-20, and he was a Hobey Baker Finalist. He was ready to take the next step.

At 5’11”, 183, Leonard plays a solid all-around game. He’s more of an offensive player who has a great one-timer and a fast release on his wrist shot. He’s decisive with the puck, especially in the offensive zone. Leonard is creative as well. When he’s on the ice, he’s thinking about making sure his team has a good shift and possibly comes away with some points. To date, Leonard has 13 points in 44 NHL games.

NHL Future Watch: John Leonard Hockey Cards, San Jose Sharks – Cards Worth Chasing

One card that is a must collect is his 2020-21 Upper Deck Series 2 Young Guns Canvas Rookie Card. I always love a good action shot, and this cards shows him in the corner trying to get the puck.

Another choice is Leonard’s 2020-21 Upper Deck Series 2 Young Guns Rookie Card. It’s a shot of him setting up in the offensive zone looking for a chance to put some points up on the board for the Sharks.

His Clear Cut Young Guns card is the third to chase. It’s a short print, showing him ready to shoot or pass.

As you may have figured, Leonard only has rookies in 2021-22 Upper Deck Series 2 Hockey. In a way, that helps collectors get one solid rookie of a player who can turn into an NHL regular. Add this player to your collection. He’s likely to have an impact this season.

 

NHL Future Watch: John Leonard Hockey Cards, San Jose Sharks – Stats

NHL Standard career statistics
Scoring Goals Assists Shots Ice Time
Season Age Tm Lg GP G A PTS +/- PIM EV PP SH GW EV PP SH S S% TSA TOI ATOI FOW FOL FO% BLK HIT TK GV Awards
2020-21 22 SJS NHL 44 3 10 13 -7 2 2 1 0 0 10 0 0 59 5.1 103 495 11:15 0 1 0.0 17 25 13 11
Career 1 yr NHL 44 3 10 13 -7 2 2 1 0 0 10 0 0 59 5.1 103 495 11:15 0 1 0.0 17 25 13 11
Provided by Hockey-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 10/23/2021.

NHL Future Watch: John Leonard Hockey Cards, San Jose Sharks – More Resources

NHL Future Watch: John Leonard Hockey Cards, San Jose Sharks – Image Gallery

For more from Russ Cohen, follow him on Twitter @sportsology.

Russ Cohen is the author of several top-selling sports related books.

Baseball’s Best Rookies
Numbers Don’t Lie: Mets: The Biggest Numbers in Mets History
100 Ranger Greats: Superstars, Unsung Heroes and Colorful Characters
100 Things Rangers Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die
“Strike Three!” – A Player’s Journey through the Infamous Baseball Strike of 1994
The Winter Classic: The NHL’s Savior
The Philadelphia Flyers: Images of Sports
Pioneers of Baseball

Russ Cohen

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