Hendrix Lapierre is back in the NHL with the Washington Capitals after being sent back to the AHL’s Hershey Bears just over a week ago. Lapierre will jump back up to the big club after being a point-per-game player for the Bears over his last five outings (2g, 3a).
Lapierre’s recall comes after the Capitals placed forward Sonny Milano placed on injured reserve last week and forward TJ Oshie was a late lineup scratch on Sunday due to a lower-body injury.
NEWS | The Capitals have recalled forwards Ivan Miroshnichenko and Hendrix Lapierre from the Hershey Bears. https://t.co/J6OOQOaqpm
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) December 19, 2023
Lapierre’s last NHL game came on December 7 against the Dallas Stars and he skated 14:04 of ice time in that 5-4 shootout loss. The 2020 first-round draft pick has played in 11 total games with the Capitals this season, recording all three of his points (1g, 2a) in the same game against the Columbus Blue Jackets in mid November.
That game was Lapierre’s first-ever, three-point effort in the NHL and he scored the game-winning goal in the 4-3 win and earned First Star of the Game honors. More than two years after scoring his first career NHL goal with the Capitals, the three points quadrupled his NHL point total in a single game.
“It was a fun night,” Lapierre said after that game. “It had been a while since I had done something offensively in terms of results, so it was fun. I thought our line had a good game, especially in that second period when we were looking for a spark. So pretty happy, I thought we made plays, and the team just finds ways to win again.”
Lapierre bounced around the Capitals’ lineup, playing on the second, third, and fourth lines. He also lined up on the wing for the first time in his NHL career which is something he hasn’t done since his junior days.
The 21-year-old playmaker will trade in the chocolate and white of the Bears again in exchange for Capitals red after he helped Hershey continue their winning ways in the AHL. The Bears went 4-1 with Lapierre back in the fray and currently sit nine standings points ahead of the next best team in the entire AHL.
Lapierre was recalled along Ivan Miroshnichenko with before the NHL’s holiday roster freeze. NHL rules state that he now cannot be sent back down to Hershey until midnight on December 28. The Capitals play four games during that stretch.
Here’s the Capitals’ press release announcing the moves:
Capitals Recall Ivan Miroshnichenko and Hendrix Lapierre
2022 and 2020 First-Round Picks Called Up to Washington
ARLINGTON, Va. – The Washington Capitals have recalled forwards Ivan Miroshnichenko and Hendrix Lapierre from the Hershey Bears of the American Hockey League (AHL), president and general manager Brian MacLellan announced today.
Miroshnichenko, the Capitals’ first-round pick (20th overall) in the 2022 NHL Draft, has recorded 15 points (8g, 7a) in 27 games in his first season with Hershey. The 6’0”, 192-pound forward leads Bears rookies in goals, assists and points and ranks tied for seventh among AHL rookies in goals. Miroshnichenko ranks tied for third among all Hershey skaters in goals, but his seven even-strength goals are the second most on the team.
The Ussuriysk, Russia native recorded four points (3g, 1a) in 23 games with Avangard Omsk of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) last season, where he averaged 8:27 of ice time per game. Miroshnichenko also recorded three assists in four games with Omskie Krylia of the Supreme Hockey League (Russia-2) and 14 points (10g, 4a) in 12 games with Omskie Yastreby of the Junior Hockey League (Russia-Jr.) in 2022-23. Miroshnichenko tallied seven points (2g, 5a) in 16 playoffs games with Omskie Yastreby, which ranked tied for eighth on the team.
Miroshnichenko spent the 2021-22 season with Omskie Krylia and recorded 16 points (10g, 6a) in 31 games. In addition, Miroshnichenko captained Russia to the gold medal at the 2021 Hlinka Gretzky Cup, where he recorded nine points (4g, 5a) in five games. Miroshnichenko’s nine points during the tournament ranked tied for fourth among all skaters and his +7 plus/minus rating ranked tied for second. Miroshnichenko also represented Russia at the 2021 4 Nations Tournament, where he recorded two points (1g, 1a) in three games.
Miroshnichenko was ranked third among European left wings and 11th among all European forwards by NHL Central Scouting ahead of the 2022 NHL Draft.
Lapierre, 21, has recorded three points (1g, 2a) in 11 games with the Capitals this season. The 6’0”, 188-pound forward registered all three points in Washington’s 4-3 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets on Nov. 18, which marked his first career multi-point game. Lapierre was credited with the game-winning goal against Columbus, which marked his second career goal and his first since his NHL debut on Oct. 13, 2021 versus the New York Rangers. In eleven games with Hershey this season, Lapierre has registered eight points (2g, 6a).
Lapierre, the Capitals’ first-round choice (22nd overall) in the 2020 NHL Draft, recorded 30 points (15g, 15a) in 60 games during his first professional season with Hershey in 2022-23. Lapierre ranked second among Hershey rookies in goals, points, power-play points (10) and shots (114). In addition, Lapierre ranked third on the Bears in power-play goals (5). Lapierre added six points (3g, 3a) in 20 playoff games, including the game-tying goal in Game 7 of the Calder Cup Finals.
The Gatineau, Quebec native appeared in six games with the Capitals during the 2021-22 season. Lapierre made his NHL debut and scored his first career goal versus the New York Rangers on Oct. 13, 2021, becoming the first Capitals rookie since 2014-15 to make his NHL debut at the age of 19 and the fifth-youngest player in franchise history to score in his debut. In 17 career games with Washington, Lapierre has recorded four points (2g, 2a).
Headline photo: Alan Dobbins/RMNB
