After spending parts of four seasons with the Hershey Bears, Bogdan Trineyev realized a childhood dream when he made his NHL debut against the Winnipeg Jets on December 13. During two separate call-ups to the Capitals in November and December, Trineyev appeared in two games, earning praise for his play from Capitals head coach Spencer Carbery.
In a recent Russian-language interview with Sport-Express, Trineyev revealed that he first learned that he was joining the Capitals from Hershey head coach Derek King.
“It was a very joyful moment,” Trineyev said of his promotion, per a translation by Google Translate. “For two years, I hadn’t been called up once, and then I was. I immediately told my parents and family, and everyone rejoiced.
“I understood (I could make my NHL debut), but I tried not to think about it, because there’s no point in making predictions – there were many cases when guys were called up, but they never showed up for the game.”
Trineyev had several memorable experiences with fellow countryman Alex Ovechkin, the NHL’s all-time leading goal scorer and arguably Russia’s most famous athlete. Ovechkin gave Trineyev the nickname “Bogdan Crosby” for the number 87 he wears with the Capitals and had a cameraman inside the team’s locker room focus on him as he got ready for his NHL debut.
“When I arrived in Washington, he congratulated me in person,” Trineyev added.
“We talked off the ice too, going to team events and going out to eat,” he continued. “He often gathers Russian-speaking guys together. Off the ice, Alexander Mikhailovich is a very cheerful person, with lots of stories. It’s a pleasure to listen to him in company. His stories are sometimes interesting and sometimes funny.”
The interviewer, noticing how Trineyev referred to Ovechkin, asked the 23-year-old rookie if he always calls the Capitals captain by his formal Russian name — his full first name and patronymic.
“For some, he might be informal, even just by his first name,” Trineyev said. “But for me, no. He’s a man of enormous status, with a significant career, and the age difference is significant. I can’t call him anything other than Alexander Mikhailovich — I just can’t bring myself to call him anything else.”
Trineyev was asked by the interviewer if Ovechkin minded, as he often requests to be called “Sasha” or “Alex.”
“Of course, he’s fine with it,” Trineyev said. “It’s just a matter of respect for me. He’s a legend, a great personality. And given his age, I feel much more comfortable addressing him that way. I think it’s respectful.”
To conclude the conversation, Trineyev was asked whether Ovechkin is a better player than Wayne Gretzky. He had a great response.
“I think the statistics speak for themselves,” Trineyev said. “Of course.”
