After Joining The Capitals, Ryan Leonard Needed A Mentor & A Place To Live. Enter Pierre-Luc Dubois
Capitals forwards Pierre-Luc Dubois and Ryan Leonard discuss living together and how Dubois has served as a mentor.
ARLINGTON, V.A. — Before taking the ice for training camp on Wednesday, Ryan Leonard got up bright and early, taking Pierre-Luc Dubois’ three dogs for a walk.
It’s all part of the routine for the Washington Capitals forward, who has been living with Dubois since leaving college and signing with the team back in April.
For Dubois, it was an “easy, easy decision” to let Leonard stay with him, and it was also about paying it forward.
After all, it wasn’t long ago that he was just starting out and in the same spot, and veteran David Savard was the one who opened his door to him.
“It’d be an understatement to say (living with Savard) helped. To come back from road trips and not have to worry about what you have in the fridge and what you’re going to eat and what you’re going to do the next morning and on a day off not spend a whole day by yourself in a hotel room or apartment. Mentally, that was the biggest thing for me when I lived with (him),” Dubois said. “I always knew it was something that I’d like to do one day… (Leonard)’s a great kid, really nice, super respectful. So it was an easy, easy decision to make.”
As a roommate, Leonard’s been top-notch, helping with the dogs, taking out the trash and only having to be warned occasionally for dishes left in the sink. Dubois has also been trying to encourage Leonard to cook more.
“He’s trying to get me out of (the house), so he’s trying to teach me,” Leonard laughed. “Last night, he brought some food home for him and Maddi and I actually had to go to the grocery store last night and cook for myself. That was a fun scene.”
The end product? Ground turkey, peppers and rice. He, nor Dubois, were exactly impressed.
“He’ll get there one day,” Dubois joked.
There’s no doubt that Dubois’ pad has been a major upgrade from living in the dorm at Boston College, but it’s not just about the amenities or learning life skills; it’s also about having someone around who’s been through the same experiences and being able to pick their brain.
“His talent speaks for itself and you guys have heard it a bunch from anyone in this organization, he’s so smart,” Leonard said. “Whether we’re just talking out there on the ice or after at the house while eating dinner and just relaxing on the couch, he’s really helped me a lot.”
It was nothing off Dubois’ back, though, and he gave a lot of credit to Leonard for adjusting as well as he has been.
“He’s a smart kid on and off the ice, so whether we’re talking about hockey or talk about nonsense — it usually ends up in just nonsense — but even if it starts off with hockey, he’s smart, he knows what he’s doing out there, so it’s not like I have to coach him or help him that much.”
Not only has Leonard appreciated what Dubois has done, but so has the coaching staff. And as Spencer Carbery pointed out, Dubois’ actions speaks volumes as to what kind of player and person he is, and what kind of leader he’s becoming.
“For Dubie to do what he did last year and then continue to do that, be able to put him somewhat under his wing to start his pro career is so beneficial,” Carbery said, adding, “Dubie’s just such an intelligent player, so there’s a lot of valuable information, not just the fluff… there’s real deal X’s and O’s and valuable stuff that Dubie has to offer.”
While Leonard has enjoyed staying with the Dubois family, he is set to leave the nest soon, as he found a place of his own with the Dubois’ expecting their first child.
“Two kids in the house and three dogs is a lot,” Dubois quipped.
Still, it’s an experience that Leonard will carry with him for his career, and hopefully pass on when he’s older.
“It doesn’t go unnoticed,” Leonard said of having Dubois as a resource. “I’m so lucky.”