NEWS

Already in his 3rd season on the Wellington Dukes blueline, Curtis Leonard (photo courtesy of the Wellington Times) is one of the club’s undisputed leaders, but is just now reaching his draft eligible season and will be joining two other Dukes as members of Team East for the upcoming CJHL Prospect Games being played on December 7-8 in Dauphin, Manitoba. The OJHL has 11 representatives at this year’s annual showcase, the most among all Junior ‘A’ leagues in the country and are led by a Dukes organization that continues to churn out top prospects.

Curtis Leonard was born on September 23, 1992 in Napanee, Ontario and would play his minor hockey in the local Napanee District Minor Hockey Association. The future star would taste immediate success, capturing the OMHA championship during both years of novice. Leonard would remain with the Stars until joining the Quinte ‘AAA’ Red Devils during his minor midget season in 2007-08. A multi-sport athlete, Leonard also excelled in other sports including rugby and fastball.

At just 16 years of age, the rearguard would receive an invitation to the nearby Wellington Dukes training camp and would say of the opportunity, “I never expected to make the team, especially as a 16-year old. There were a lot of other great defencemen on that team.” But he would do just that as one of only two 16-year olds to make the squad in 2008-09. Despite suffering a serious injury that would force Leonard to miss half the season, he would still impress the coaching staff with his hard-work and dedication, while gaining valuable experience on a Dukes club that would finish in 1st place in the Central Division. Of the experience, Leonard would later say, “My hockey highlight so far has been winning the Central Division championship.”

Entering the following season, Leonard would receive an invitation to the Team Canada East Summer Camp for the World Junior ‘A’ Challenge. Although he would not make the squad, it proved to be another step in his evolution as a premiere defenceman. Playing a more prominent role on the point for the Dukes, Leonard would be just one of three players on the club to play in all 50 games, recording 13 assists along the way. Of the honours he would receive throughout the season, would include participating in the "Battle of Ontario” Prospects Game and being named the club’s Player-of-the-Month for March. Unfortunately after tying Bowmanville in the regular season East Division standings, the Dukes would fall in five games to the same Eagles during the CCHL semi-final series.

Coming back for his 3rd season as a Duke, Leonard was named one of the club’s alternate captains by head coach Marty Abrams. Abrams can’t say enough about his star defenceman, who had only just turned 18, “Curtis is a force on the back-end, a premier shot blocker and shut down guy. He is a leader on and off the ice and always gives a tremendous effort when he steps on the ice. Highly coachable, Curtis has a bright future. He exemplifies what it means to be a Wellington Duke.”

The 6’3”, 180 lbs defender started the 2010-11 season the same way he finished the previous year, earning Player-of-the-Month honours for the Dukes in September as the club went 5-0 and he enters December on a current ironman streak of 123 consecutive games played. Not only has Leonard scored his first two junior hockey goals, but he leads all Wellington defencemen with 15 assists and 17 points thus far and is 2nd on the entire club with eight power play points. His efforts have helped the Dukes march to a familiar position, sitting in 1st place in the East Division with 49 points, while fighting back-and-forth with the Newmarket Hurricanes for 1st place overall in the OJHL.

Not originally named to the Team East roster for the CJHL Prospect Games, Leonard was one of the first that was called upon as an injury replacement and although surprised by the selection, can’t wait to play in Dauphin, “It is really exciting. Again I really didn’t' expect it. I feel proud and honoured to have been selected. I hope to go out, play well and represent the Dukes well." With numerous NCAA scouts showing interest in Leonard’s skills, there is bound to be plenty of competitive hockey left in his future.

Stayed tuned over the upcoming days for more features on OJHL Team East members playing in the 2010 CJHL Prospect Games.