BOSTON -- Ryan Leonard was in the Boston College locker room, moments from signing with the Washington Capitals, when a text message popped up on his phone. It was Alex Ovechkin.

Will Smith, Leonard’s center and former National Team Development Program linemate, chose to leave BC after his freshman season and sign with the San Jose Sharks. Leonard did not follow. He wanted one more go with the Eagles alongside fellow sophomores Drew Fortescue, Jacob Fowler and Gabe Perreault, all NHL picks. Leonard did not regret it.

Amherst native Ryan Leonard will make his NHL debut against the Bruins in Washington's Top 6 on Tuesday night.

Leonard won a battle on the wall and then two races to loose pucks to keep the play alive before feeding Aliaksei Protas at the point, which began a tic-tac-toe passing sequence that led to Dylan Strome’s goal with 9:23 left in the game.

Leonard finished third in the NCAA in goals and fourth in points as a freshman last season, registering 31 goals and 60 points in 41 games.

Capitals rookie Ryan Leonard wasn’t born yet when Alex Ovechkin was drafted in 2004. He was only eight months old when the Russian scored his first two goals in his NHL debut in 2005.

A right-shot winger, Leonard is a power forward who scored at will for Boston College. In his two years with the Eagles, Leonard had 61 goals in 78 games.

The Washington Capitals forward made his NHL debut in front of his Boston College teammates and his family during the team’s game against the Boston Bruins at TD Garden.

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