Carbery holds Ryan Leonard out of a meaningful game for him

Spencer Carbery said Leonard will not play Saturday against Detroit, calling it a day by day situation after shoulder and facial injuries. The rookie has been taking full contact in practice again, but the staff is not rushing it.

The tricky part is the calendar, not just the rehab. Capitals PR initially tagged the timeline at three to four weeks, and Leonard is only a little over two weeks into that window.

Saturday also kicks off the NHL holiday roster freeze, which runs through next weekend. Washington still has the Red Wings again Sunday in Detroit, plus games Tuesday against the New York Rangers and next Saturday against the New Jersey Devils.

John Leonard, Ryan's older brother, is expected to dress for Detroit, so the storyline is right there. A chunk of friends and family reportedly made the trip, but the brother matchup has to wait.

As a fan, I hate this kind of tease, because Leonard's energy has been one of the season's best surprises. You can tell the room wants him back, but the Caps also have to protect the long game.

Without Leonard, the power play loses a right shot who can attack the bumper and win pucks back quickly. That forces more plays to run through the flanks, and it makes clean entries even more important.

[https://twitter.com/CapitalsPR/status/1999146271156666488?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw](https://twitter.com/CapitalsPR/status/1999146271156666488?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)

Washington also has to manage bodies with limited movement options during the freeze. The club has already shown it is thinking ahead with small shuffles to keep flexibility, rather than painting itself into a roster corner.

Leonard is only 20, but he has already put up 18 points with seven goals and 11 assists in 29 games. The Capitals took him eighth overall in the 2023 draft, and his straight line forecheck has fit the NHL faster than expected.

If he is cleared, Sunday in Detroit is the obvious target, but the team will only activate him when he is truly ready.