Ryerson Leenders – 2024 NHL Draft Prospect Profile – The Hockey Writers – NHL Entry Draft

Ryerson Leenders

2023-24 Team: Mississauga Steelheads (OHL)
Date of Birth: Jun. 1, 2006
Place of Birth: Salaberry-de-Valleyfield, QC
Ht: 6-foot-1 Wt: 176 pounds
Catches: L
Position: G
NHL Draft Eligibility: 2024 first-year eligible

Rankings

Ryerson Leenders is one of the best goalies available in the 2024 NHL Draft thanks to his fantastic athleticism and great awareness. In 46 games with the Ontario Hockey League’s (OHL) Mississauga Steelheads, he posted a league-high .909 save percentage (SV%), a 24-17-4 record and three shutouts. That performance earned him a spot at the Kubota Top Prospects Game, where he stopped 19 of 20 shots, and a backup role at the U18 World Juniors, where he made just one start but helped Canada win 7-1, turning away 25 of 26 shots from Team Switzerland.

Leenders’ success comes from his incredible ability to track the play. He squares himself up to the puck carrier and can quickly drop into a low butterfly, cutting off the five-hole and both low corners. However, his top isn’t as exposed as it might look, as he can just as quickly get up into a more hybrid position. No matter what the shooter tries to do, he is rarely caught off guard and looks calm in the net.

Related: THW’s 2024 NHL Draft Guide

Although he’s a decent positional goalie, he’s not as strong in that area as some of his draft-eligible peers. Instead, Leenders relies on his athleticism and reflexes to make saves. He uses his strong anticipation to predict where the puck will go, and once he commits, he doesn’t second-guess himself. That level of confidence is promising to see in a young goalie and should help him achieve his dream of making the NHL.

Other Draft Profiles

Ryerson Leenders – NHL Draft Projection

Despite his successful sophomore season, Leenders has dropped in some rankings after he lost the starting job in Mississauga to rookie goalie Jack Ivankovic. Ivankovic (2025 draft-eligible) put up some great numbers to end the season, while Leenders struggled with consistency. That gave the Steelheads a strong tandem to rely on in the playoffs against the Sudbury Wolves, and Leenders opened the series with a 28-save shutout. However, an injury in Game 2 gave Ivankovic back the spotlight and, more importantly, pushed Leenders out of it.

There’s also the issue of his size; NHL Central Scouting lists him at 6 feet, 165 pounds, whereas the OHL website has him slightly bigger at 6-foot-1….