Ryan Leonard went for concussion protocol after hit from forward Adam Fantilli (image credit: IMAGN)

Ryan Leonard had a tough moment during the Washington Capitals’ game against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday. Leonard went for a loose puck late in the first period, and Jackets forward Adam Fantilli hit him hard between the circles. Leonard fell to the ice and the back of his head hit the surface. Fantilli then scored seconds later to make it 3-0 for Columbus.

“Adam Fantilli crushes Ryan Leonard at one end and finishes it off with a goal at the other!” BarDown tweeted.

Leonard got up slowly and went to the locker room. Tom Wilson argued the hit from the bench and was given a two-minute minor and a 10-minute misconduct. The officials said Fantilli’s hit was clean and legal. Leonard returned in the second period.

“Ryan Leonard is back on the bench as the second period gets ready to start,” Washington Post’s Bailey Johnson tweeted.

Leonard reportedly went through concussion protocol. He was cleared to play and came back on the ice. Later in the second period, the game was heated. Five fights broke out with eight minutes left, with the score at 6-0. Leonard fought Sean Kuraly for his first NHL fight and received some heavy blows.

Ryan Leonard joined the Caps after signing entry-level contract

Ryan Leonard was Washington’s first-round pick in 2023. In March, he joined the Capitals after signing his three-year entry-level contract, which carries an AAV of $950,000.

Following his first morning skate on April 1 at TD Garden, Leonard shared the news about his contract.

“I read it in the locker room, all the guys were in there,” Leonard said, via NHL.com. “It was probably 5, 10 minutes before I actually signed. They’re like, ‘What? I don’t know if you should respond to that.’ I was like, ‘I kind of have to.’ But it was pretty cool.”

Leonard scored his first NHL goal on April 4 against the Chicago Blackhawks. It was an empty net goal at 18:24 in the third period. He joined the Capitals after finishing his college season, where was a top player at Boston College with 30 goals and 19 assists in 37 games this year.

That game was also special as Alex Ovechkin tied Wayne Gretzky’s record after scoring his 894th goal.