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MuNk22 · 09-26-2023, 10:41 PM

MADISON, Wis. - On draft day this past Saturday, Leonard Wood sat patiently in his Madison home with his family, waiting for his name to be called. The television volume was turned to near maximum. His phone was kept anxiously nearby.

With the forty-fifth pick in the draft, the Colorado Raptors selected Leonard Wood to the Simulation Major Junior Hockey League. Wood and his girlfriend embraced as they answered the phone from Colorado. In that moment he knew the hope of one day playing professional hockey was real and attainable.

Growing up, Leonard played hockey with his brother on the frozen lake at his family's cottage in Rhinelander, Wisconsin. When he wasn't playing hockey on the lake, he ice fished on it. It was on those blistery, frigid days out on the ice that his love for hockey was cultivated.

Fast forward to today at 17 years old, Leonard Wood took Wisconsin high school hockey by storm this past season as he broke Madison East scoring records and lead the team to a state championship wearing a letter “C” on his sweater.

Wood cemented himself as a top winger for Madison East last season tallying eighty-two points across thirty-one games played. Using his large frame and imposing physicality, he dominated on both ends of the ice. In the championship game, he scored two goals and assisted on one more as Madsion East blazed past Eau Claire.

“He's a smart kid with great hockey sense,” Nick McCadden, Leonard's coach at Madison East, said of Leonard. “The SMJHL is a league full of top level talent from around the globe. From what I've seen these past few years, he's got the skills and work ethic to excel in juniors and hopefully beyond. We're definitely proud of him here.”

But it wasn't always easy for Leonard. In his sophomore year, he suffered a severe concussion from an inadvertent hit from behind. His head hit the boards, causing him to be sidelined for the remainder of the season.

In March of that year, he watched his team fall out of the state tournament in a crushing overtime loss in the regional finals. Leonard knew that if he were in the lineup, they would've had a better chance.

Leonard continued to have headaches the rest of the school year and into the summer. He was unable to train, found it hard to study, and struggled to even go out and have fun with his friends like an ordinary teenager.

“It was tough,” Leonard said. “I didn't think I'd ever play hockey again. There was a point in the summer where I thought about just moving on from hockey and focus on something else.”

By he following fall season, he started to feel better. He felt confident about his chances on returning to the ice. After a rough start to the season, he eventually found his game and continued right where he left off. Using his size and strength, he powered skaters off of the puck. By sheer will, he pounded through defenders to get to the net. He did the dirty work and that opened things up for his linemates.

That lead him to blaze through previous records held at Madison East. It also caught the attention of scouts from the top junior hockey league in North America. The assistant general manager of the Colorado Raptors, Takk, specifically took notice.

“Having the opportunity to pick Leonard Wood at this point in the draft was an absolute steal for us here in Colorado. I'll be honest, when we decided to take Napoleon Dinklage at 41, we knew it was a bit of a gamble, but we were thinking long-term, hoping to secure some promising prospects down the line. But when the moment came for NYR and I to announce our pick, it felt like we stumbled upon the winning lottery ticket just lying there, waiting for us to cash it in ASAP,” Takk commented in his post draft press conference.

He continued, adding in praise for Leonard's agent, “Leo Wood is the dynamic forward we've been craving to complete our top 6. His hands are like magic, and he has a natural instinct to finish plays that's just exhilarating to watch. He's going to mesh seamlessly with the rest of the squad and undoubtedly help us outscore our opponents. And let's not forget about Woody's underrated weapon – his advisor, MuNk. MuNk isn't just any agent and personnal advisor; he's a true hockey enthusiast, a genuine fanatic through and through. We're fortunate to have him and his calm demeanor closely involved with our organization, alongside Leo, providing valuable guidance.

I can't emphasize enough how fortunate we feel about this pick. We couldn't be happier with the addition of Leonard Wood to our team. This is a game-changer for us, and we can't wait to see what Leo and MuNk bring to the table. It's an exciting time for Colorado hockey, that's for sure.”

Asked about being picked in the fourth round, Leonard replied, “I'm thankful to be here and excited to show my team and my coaches what I can bring to the table. I don't care if I was drafted first overall, forty-fifth overall, or even eighty-eighth overall. I am nobody's underdog. I am here to compete. I am here to win.”

You can catch Leonard Wood in competition this season with the Colorado Raptors, streaming live on the SMJHL YouTube channel. Preseason starts Thursday, September 28.

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*Wally* · 09-26-2023, 10:47 PM

Whoa.. whoa… From here in Madison?! Yessssss

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