The Washington Capitals and Ivan Miroshnichenko have to figure out what their future looks like together.
It’s early in the season, but a trade is never totally out of the cards when a veteran team is trying to decide what to do with a young player who isn’t really contributing.
This is a fascinating season for the Caps, who know that it’s Alex Ovechkin’s last season in the NHL. While Ovechkin is no longer their best player, they’d certainly like to send him out on a high note.
Washington also made a big investment in the offseason to bring aboard Alex Tuch, who has overall been a hit so far in the nation’s capital.
So that brings discussions to the point of what to do with Miroshnichenko. The Capitals have to balance their present aspirations with their future outlook, and they could come out on either side of the Miroshnichenko coin flip.
Ivan Miroshnichenko Trade Update
Miroshnichenko, the 22-year-old right winger with the long last name, hasn’t totally lived up to his status as a first-round pick yet.
That doesn’t mean it’s not coming, but it remains to be seen whether the Capitals will wait around to find out.
The Athletic’s Chris Johnston included Miroshnichenko in his latest trade board on Tuesday, raising the potential that maybe Washington will decide to deal its youngster rather than figure out a better plan for him.
“Somewhat lost in the shuffle among a deep Capitals forward group, Miroshnichenko has struggled to get playing time this season,” Johnston writes. “The 20th pick in the 2022 NHL Draft has the speed, power and skill needed to score goals at lower levels — including with AHL Hershey — but hasn’t yet shown that same flash in the NHL. A trade might be the best path to a fresh start since Washington doesn’t want to risk losing Miroshnichenko on waivers.”
Potential Positive
For Miroshnichenko, a trade could be exactly what he needs. Things haven’t worked out for him with the Capitals, and a move elsewhere could give him that often-welcome change of scenery that can help athletes break out.
For the Capitals, it’s harder to say. It’s nice to have cheap young talent, when that cheap young talent is playing and producing.
If they traded Miroshnichenko, the return likely wouldn’t be great. It’d be mostly selling low on a former first-round pick.
The Capitals would essentially be admitting a failure on Miroshnichenko if they traded him. Are they willing to do that? The coming weeks and months will provide that answer.
Capitals’ Ivan Miroshnichenko Gets Trade Update