The Washington Capitals recalled rookie winger Ivan Miroshnichenko from the Hershey Bears on February 26 after Anthony Mantha was banged up in a game against the Florida Panthers. Since then, Miroshnichenko has practiced with the team but sat in the press box for all four games that have been played since he’s been up with the big club.
According to head coach Spencer Carbery, that could change shortly. The rookie bench boss wants to see Miroshnichenko get into his fifth career NHL contest.
“Yeah, I think he’ll [work into the lineup],” Carbery said Tuesday. “I’m not going to completely commit to Pittsburgh but we’re looking to get him in the lineup.”
The Capitals’ first-round pick from the 2022 NHL Draft has yet to record his first NHL point. He got into four games earlier this season around Christmas and fired six shots on net but couldn’t find the back of the net.
Down in the AHL, Miroshnichenko’s point production has slowed as he’s scored only one goal and tallied seven assists in his last 23 games with the Bears. His most recent strike was a power-play goal from the Ovi spot that looked very Ovechkinesque.
On the season, Miroshnichenko has nine goals and 25 points in 46 games.
“I know you’d probably point to the lack of production and say he hasn’t done much in the last whatever in Hershey, but he’s been up here, played games for us,” Carbery said when initially asked by RMNB’s Katie Adler about the decision making behind the recall. “We thought in this situation with a probably not going into the lineup we wanted to bring up someone that had been up here before this year. So I know there’s options with Ethen Frank and Joe Snively, but (we) decided to go with Miro.”
The Capitals recently sent Pierrick Dubé back to the Bears and reclaimed Matthew Phillips from the Penguins before also sending him to Hershey. Miroshnichenko and Hendrix Lapierre remain from the late February recalls.
The Pittsburgh Penguins host the Capitals on Thursday night, the team’s final game before this year’s trade deadline.
