The Stena Line Belfast Giants are pleased to announce the arrival of Curtis Leonard for the 2018/19 Elite League season. The 25 year old Defenceman arrives in Belfast following two seasons with the ECHL’s Fort Wayne Komets.
Leonard, who is good friends with Darcy Murphy and will be the 198th Giants player, played his junior hockey with the Wellington Dukes of the OJHL and led all defencemen with 20 assists en route to the OJHL Championship.
The 6’3” defenceman, who will wear #10 for the Giants, then joined RPI for four years of NCAA hockey. Leonard led all RPI defencemen in both 2013/14 & 2014/15 with 12 points & 10 points respectively and was appointed team captain in his final year.
2014/15 also saw Leonard make his professional debut, appearing in one AHL game with the Rochester Americans as well as five games with the Reading Royals of the ECHL.
Leonard split the 2015/16 between Reading, Fort Wayne and Evansville before rejoining the Komets for the following two seasons.
In 2017/18 Curtis scored three goals and 18 assists and his +34 rating was the second best in the ECHL. His efforts led the Komets to second place in the central division and Leonard was awarded the ‘Best Defensive Defenceman’, voted by the Professional Hockey Players’ Association.
Curtis Leonard spoke with Patrick Smyth, A View From The Bridge, on his arrival in Belfast:
“I am good friends with Darcy Murphy and he told me how great the fans and the city of Belfast are – it was a very attractive place to play!”
“I am a competitor and I want to win at all costs. I am a team guy who wants to be effective, compete hard and do my job well.”
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