Dylan Larkin Injury ripple: Red Wings make emergency recall of John Leonard

Detroit’s forward options change immediately as the team reshuffles its roster in the wake of the dylan larkin injury, with a new call-up now available for upcoming games. Saturday at 2: 30 p. m. ET, the Detroit Red Wings recalled forward John Leonard from the American Hockey League’s Grand Rapids Griffins under emergency conditions.

Dylan Larkin Injury forces Detroit to elevate a scorer from Grand Rapids

The immediate consequence for the Red Wings is that John Leonard is now on the NHL roster under emergency conditions, giving Detroit another forward option while the dylan larkin injury remains a day-to-day roster factor. The move also alters Grand Rapids’ lineup, pulling away the Griffins’ top offensive producer by both goals and points.

Leonard has been one of the most productive players in the AHL this season. In 34 games with the Griffins, he leads the team with 27 goals and 41 points, and he ranks among the team leaders in several categories, including 116 shots (third) and a 23. 3% shooting percentage (first). He also sits first on the club with three shorthanded goals and eight game-winning goals.

For Detroit, the recall brings in a forward who has already been in the NHL lineup during the 2025-26 season. Leonard has played nine games with the Red Wings and recorded four points (2-2-4), giving the team a known option rather than an untested call-up.

John Leonard’s numbers set the Red Wings’ short-term expectations

Leonard arrives with a profile built around finishing and situational scoring. In Grand Rapids, he not only leads in goals and points, but also ranks tied for fifth with three power-play goals, and he sits first in shorthanded goals. That spread matters for a recall made under emergency conditions, because it suggests he has been used across multiple game states rather than as a single-role scorer.

His recent NHL experience with Detroit adds to the case for why the club turned to him now. Leonard’s nine-game sample with the Red Wings this season includes two goals and two assists, a modest but tangible stat line for a player moving between leagues.

The recall also highlights how much offense Detroit is taking out of Grand Rapids in one move. Leonard’s 27 goals in 34 games represent the top mark on the Griffins, and his 41 points also lead the team, making him a central piece of that club’s scoring.

Detroit’s emergency recall moves Leonard back into an NHL role

The Red Wings formally characterized the transaction as an emergency recall from the AHL’s Grand Rapids Griffins. Leonard is 27 years old, listed at 5-foot-11 and 192 pounds, and he is a native of Westwood, New Jersey.

Leonard’s professional track record includes experience across several organizations. He has registered 21 points (8-13-21) in 79 NHL regular-season games with the San Jose Sharks, Nashville Predators, Arizona Coyotes and Red Wings since the 2020-21 season. In the AHL, he has compiled 212 points (110-102-212) in 283 games with the San Jose Barracuda, Milwaukee Admirals, Tucson Roadrunners, Charlotte Checkers and Griffins.

His most recent full season before this one came with the Charlotte Checkers in 2024-25, when he posted 61 points (36-25-61) in 72 regular-season games, plus a plus-21 rating and 22 penalty minutes. He added 14 points (8-6-14) in 18 postseason contests as Charlotte reached the 2025 Calder Cup Finals, and he was recognized with a place on the AHL’s Second All-Star Team after appearing at the 2025 AHL All-Star Classic.

Leonard was originally selected in the sixth round (182nd overall) of the 2018 NHL Entry Draft by San Jose. He is also the older brother of Ryan Leonard, who was selected by the Washington Capitals in the first round (eighth overall) of the 2023 NHL Entry Draft.

The next confirmation point for Detroit will be whether the emergency recall translates into games played and where Leonard fits into the forward group. If the dylan larkin injury situation keeps Detroit operating under emergency conditions, Leonard’s role could expand quickly over the next stretch of games.