Rookie Leon Gawanke Emerging as a 'Prospect To Watch' for Moose

WINNIPEG, Manitoba - Even Leon Gawanke himself didn't foresee him evolving into one of the Moose’s most productive defenceman in his rookie season.

“Coming in, I didn't expect it,” the 20-year-old German defenceman told InsideAHLHockey.com two weeks ago during a one-on-one post-practice interview. “It was obviously my goal to be in the lineup every day and through some injuries, it’s happening now and I’m really happy with it.”

For the first two months of the 2019-2020 season, the Jets’ 2017 fifth round pick was working day-in and day-out to earn himself a spot in the lineup, never mind becoming an impact player at the AHL Level. With the unexpected return of Sami Niku— not to mention the need to give 2016 first round pick Logan Stanley ice-time—there were few spots available on the Moose’s blue-line to start out the year.

Gawanke was part of a rotation of young defenceman— along with Jonathan Kovacevic and Luke Green—that Moose head coach Pascal Vincent integrated in-and-out of the lineup. Gawanke didn't get much rope early on, often finding himself a healthy scratch even after a strong performance. The way Moose head coach Pascal Vincent sees it, that sort of competitive environment helped push Gawanke to a new level.

“It was a great experience for him to go through and to understand that he has to fight every single day to get a job or to play the next game,” Vincent explained to InsideAHLHockey.com

Once Niku graduated and the Moose’s blue-line was depleted via injuries and call-ups at the midway point of the season, Gawanke—whose 0.46 points per game (22 points in 45 games) is the sixth highest p/pg total of any U-21 AHL defenceman—was permanently slotted into Manitoba’s top-four. While he got plenty of time on the man-advantage throughout the year, Gawanke has been bestowed upon quite a bit as he’s consistently faced off against opponents top lines ever since the start of the start of the 2020 calendar year (more on that, in a bit).

While Gawanke is a raw talent and certainly needs some seasoning before he can be inserted into an NHL lineup, his upside is cause for optimism.

“For us, players that [get recalled by the Jets], need to be a difference maker,” Vincent explained. “Whether it’s five minutes or 20 minutes we want them to bring something to the table.”

The smooth-skating D-man’s skill-set - consisting of superb offensive instincts, a strong poise with the puck, a solid first pass and overall real solid zone-entry/ exit ability - is such that, if he can round out the rest of his game, Gawanke certainly has the tools to be a serviceable NHL player one day.

“When I see open ice, I skate [through] it,” Gawanke explains. “That’s what I’ve done my whole life and I think I’ve got more confidence game by game and like I trust myself more on the ice right now than I did at the start of the year.”

For Gawanke, the question remains if he can further develop his defensive game and physical stature. But you have to remember that the plan for this year wasn’t to put Gawanke in this type of situation. External factors lead to a quick promotion and while Gawanke’s offensive game has flourished, so have his weaknesses.

“We’re giving him as much as he can handle and sometimes maybe a bit too much,” Vincent explained. “But I think it’s going to be good for him in the long term.”

By being thrown into the fire so quickly, Gawanke is getting an advantage. While traditionally speaking, players of Gawanke’s ilk are sheltered at the start of their pro career, there’s certainly an advantage for him to be utilized in uncomfortable situations and through trial-and-error, see for himself where he needs to improve.

“There’s going to be times where I am stuck in the D-zone and maybe get dangled,’ said Gawanke. “But I think in my first year I’ve tried to learn as much as I can and build off it every game and be more physical and strong and make it more difficult for [opponents] in my own zone.”

As much as he may be exposed sometimes, Gawanke is getting invaluable experience in his rookie season.

“I think for this year it’s a real eye-opener for him on not only what it takes to make it, because he’s good enough to make it to the [AHL] and play pro, but to stay consistently good,” Vincent explained.

The reality is though, Gawanke’s probably not going to be spoon-fed these types of reps going forward. Next season, there will be a whole new batch of prospects, and veterans, trying to take ice-time away from him. There’s still plenty of work to be done.

“I think his next summer is going to be huge for him—his training has to be very specific, he needs to get stronger,” Vincent admitted.

But what Gawanke has displayed in year one is a huge step in the right direction.

“He’s a real good prospect for us,” emphasized Vincent.