Arizona Coyotes sign forward John Leonard to one-year contract
The Arizona Coyotes have signed forward John Leonard to a one-year contract, PHNX Sports’ Craig Morgan reported Sunday afternoon.
Leonard, 24, collected 17 goals and 44 points in 67 games with the American Hockey League’s Milwaukee Admirals during the 2022–23 regular season.
The five-foot-eleven winger, who shoots left, added an assist in six games with the Admirals in the 2023 Calder Cup Playoffs.
Leonard also appeared in six NHL games with the Nashville Predators in 2022–23, scoring one goal. The Predators elected not to tender Leonard a qualifying offer as a pending restricted free agent.
According to Morgan, Leonard’s new deal with the Coyotes carries a $775,000 NHL cap hit. He’ll earn an $80,000 salary in the AHL and will make a guaranteed minimum of $150,000 in 2023–24.
Per source, the Coyotes are signing AHL forward John Leonard to a one-year deal. He had 17 goals, 44 points with Milwaukee last season.
$775K (NHL)
$80K (AHL)
Guaranteed: $150Khttps://t.co/Up6QwTF3Gm
The San Jose Sharks originally selected Leonard, a former member of the USHL’s Green Bay Gamblers, in the sixth round (No. 182 overall) of the 2018 NHL Draft.
The Westwood, N.J. product spent three seasons at UMass-Amherst before turning pro with the Sharks in 2020. He made his NHL debut with the Sharks in the 2020–21 season, collecting 13 points (three goals, 10 assists) in 44 games.
Leonard saw his role substantially reduced with the Sharks the following year. After the 2021–22 season, the Sharks traded Leonard to the Predators along with a 2023 third-round pick in exchange for forward Luke Kunin.
Through 64 career games over parts of three NHL seasons with the Sharks and Predators, Leonard has racked up five goals and 16 points. He has yet to play a Stanley Cup Playoff game in his career.
The Coyotes have been one of the league’s busiest teams in this year’s free agency period, signing Jason Zucker, Alex Kerfoot, Nick Bjugstad, Alex Galchenyuk, Troy Stecher, and Matt Villalta on the open market.