#pldleno

Ryan Leonard’s landlord has nothing bad to say about him.

That’s high praise when it comes to a 20-year-old hockey player, a demographic not generally known for being particularly clean or quiet. The landlord in question, Leonard’s Washington Capitals teammate Pierre-Luc Dubois, has plenty of jokes about Leonard’s cooking skills — or lack thereof — and warnings that have been issued about dishes left in the sink. But beyond the gentle ribbing, Dubois, 27, has been delighted by having the young winger occupy the third floor of his house.

“My wife tells me that when he leaves, my age level goes up,” Dubois said. “It’s fun having him around.”

Living together has given Dubois an especially close look at how Leonard has navigated the early stages of his professional career. Leonard moved in with Dubois when he joined the Capitals in April, after his NCAA season at Boston College ended, and stayed until Washington was eliminated from the Stanley Cup playoffs. He came back ahead of training camp, with plans to stay until he knows he has made the roster in Washington.

Leonard was thrown in the deep end in the spring, turning professional just before the playoffs and as captain Alex Ovechkin’s chase of the NHL goals record neared its conclusion. When Leonard scored his first goal — an empty-netter that came in the same game that Ovechkin scored his 894th — Wayne Gretzky, whose record Ovechkin had just tied, was in the dressing room to offer the youngster a handshake.

Going through the standard training camp process, beginning with a few days of rookie camp in Annapolis before main camp began last Thursday, has allowed Leonard to settle in in a way he never quite could in the spring.

“It’s a lot different than last year, to get here at the start and start from scratch,” Leonard said Wednesday. “It’s great. Good to learn with all these guys and get rolling into the season. … I’m being coached and not just thrown into a locker room and learning systems within a couple of minutes.”

“I think he’s looked good,” Dubois added. “I think he’s settled in. He’s kind of breathed out and realized that he doesn’t have to do more; he just has to do what he’s good at. I’ve thought he’s done a good job of that.”

Leonard is expected to make his NHL preseason debut Thursday in Hershey, Pennsylvania, against the Philadelphia Flyers — after he played nine regular season and eight playoff games last season.

“Leno has been very businesslike this training camp, which I think is great,” Coach Spencer Carbery said. “He came in last year, and he’s just smiling ear-to-ear. Obviously as it ramps up in the playoffs, that goes away a little bit, but he was just taking it all in. … [Now] there’s a focus there for him. I think the comfortability that he feels through it, I think that helps as well. I’m excited to get him in some game action. I think he’s kind of champing at the bit.”

Added Dubois: “He’s a talented player. He’s quick, he makes plays, he’s good on the puck. I think the thing that kind of goes underrated for him is he’s really hungry on pucks. He’s good on the forecheck, heavy on his stick. I think for any young guy that comes in the league, it’s not an easy league. It’s hard. But when you work hard like that and you compete, you get in on the forecheck and you’re going to the net, those guys find ways to help the team win.”

Away from the rink, Dubois is trying to teach Leonard the necessary skills to live on his own. Leonard has been a quick study at helping out around the house and taking care of the three dogs, even if he texts Dubois every time he lets the dogs out so he can get credit for being helpful, but cooking is coming along more slowly.

On Tuesday night, Dubois brought dinner home from the practice facility — but only enough for himself and his wife, Maddi. Leonard was handed a sink-or-swim moment; he had to go to the grocery store and figure out dinner for himself.

The meal he made — ground turkey, peppers and rice, seasoned with garlic, salt and pepper — wouldn’t look out of place on a college student’s table, and Dubois quipped that Leonard bought all of it premade, but it’s a start.

“Whether we’re just talking out there on the ice or after at the house while we’re eating dinner, or just relaxing on the couch, he’s really helped me a lot,” Leonard said. “I owe a lot of future credit to him.”

Leonard is expected to strike out on his own soon. Dubois and his wife are expecting their first child, which motivated all involved to get Leonard living independently.

“It would be two kids in the house, three dogs,” Dubois said. “It’d be a lot.”

But while Leonard has been under Dubois’ roof, he has taken lessons — both on and off the ice — that he will carry for the rest of his career.

“I’m so lucky and beyond fortunate to be able to live with him the past couple months I’ve been in the house,” Leonard said. “Him and Maddi and the dogs have been great. I really can’t thank them enough.”

His temporary landlord has enjoyed it, too.