Washington Capitals Star Ryan Leonard Rushed into Concussion Protocol After Nasty Hit

The last few weeks have been a whirlwind for Ryan Leonard, and now, he's a fixture in the Washington Capitals lineup as the Stanley Cup Playoffs approach for the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference.

Unfortunately, the rookie took a brutal hit on Saturday from former top pick Adam Fantilli, who not only nailed Leonard with a hit but took the puck to the other end and scored on the same play.

However, it was a clean hit from Fantilli that took down Leonard, but with his head hitting the ice after skating down the middle with his head down, Leonard was quickly rushed off the ice after the play.

The 20-year old is full of toughness however, as he was back on the ice for the second period, a second period that involved dropping the gloves in a wild brawl after more feistiness from both Metropolitan Division rivals.

While the day didn't start out well for the former first-round pick, he bounced back after taking his first brutal hit in the NHL, and given the way he got back up and continued the fight shows plenty about how important he'll be for the future of this organization.

After the game, there should be an update on his condition given that he did take a brutal hit and was involved in a fight, and while he shouldn't be skating over the middle of the ice with his head down, the toughness he put on display will be huge for winning over his teammates as he looks to solidify himself as a key piece of this team for years to come.