The Washington Capitals appear to be getting Ryan Leonard back in their lineup.
Leonard was activated from injured reserve ahead of the team’s matchup with the New York Rangers on Tuesday night. In a corresponding move, the Capitals sent winger Ivan Miroshnichenko back to the AHL’s Hershey Bears.
Leonard missed his seventh-straight game due to injury on Sunday, not dressing for the Capitals’ 3-2 overtime loss against his brother John Leonard’s Detroit Red Wings. The 20-year-old winger was placed on IR on December 7, which allowed both Bogdan Trineyev and Miroshnichenko to make their season debuts with the Capitals.
The rookie forward has been back taking contact at practice over the past week, but head coach Spencer Carbery has still been non-committal about his return. Before leaving the lineup, Leonard was playing on the team’s third line with Nic Dowd and Connor McMichael.
Before getting injured against the Anaheim Ducks on December 3, Leonard had recorded 10 points (4g, 6a) in his last nine games. He has 18 total points (7g, 11a) in 29 games this season.
Miroshnichenko is freely able to be reassigned to the Bears during the NHL’s holiday roster freeze due to a quirk in the CBA that allows any player recalled after December 11 to be loaned to a minor-league affiliate through 11:59 pm on December 23, provided they are not required to be placed on waivers. Miroshnichenko is still waivers-exempt this year.
The 21-year-old Russian winger played two games with the Capitals during his recent stint with the club, skating an average of 9:38 of ice time per game. He returns to a Bears team that has already paused for the holidays, not playing again until December 27. Miroshnichenko has nine points (4g, 5a) in 12 AHL games this season.
Here’s the full press release from the Capitals:
Capitals Loan Ivan Miroshnichenko to Hershey
Forward Ryan Leonard activated from IR
ARLINGTON, Va. – The Washington Capitals have loaned forward Ivan Miroshnichenko to the Hershey Bears of the American Hockey League (AHL), senior vice president and general manager Chris Patrickannounced today. In addition, the Capitals have activated forward Ryan Leonard from Injured Reserve (IR).
Miroshnichenko, 21, made his season debut with Washington on Dec. 20 vs. Detroit and also played in the Capitals’ game at Detroit on Dec. 21. In 12 games with Hershey this season, Miroshnichenko has recorded nine points (4g, 5a).
The 6’1”, 205-pound forward set AHL career highs in goals (23), assists (19) and points (42) with Hershey in 2024-25. Miroshnichenko’s 23 goals led Hershey, while his 42 points ranked third on the team. The Ussuriysk, Russia native also ranked second on the Bears in shots (146), tied for second in power-play goals (7), tied for third in game-winning goals (4) and fourth in power-play assists (10). During the 2025 Calder Cup Playoffs, Miroshnichenko recorded five points (3g, 2a) in eight games, ranking tied for second on Hershey in goals and tied for third in points. In addition, Miroshnichenko appeared in 18 games with Washington last season, registering four points (1g, 3a). Miroshnichenko’s four points came in his first six games of the season, which included a career-long three-game point streak from Nov. 29 to Dec. 3, 2024 (3a). During his 18-game call-up, Miroshnichenko led the Capitals in hits per 60 minutes (9.99).
Miroshnichenko appeared in 21 games with the Capitals during the 2023-24 season, recording six points (2g, 4a). Miroshnichenko made his NHL debut on Dec. 20 vs. the New York Islanders and made his Stanley Cup Playoff debut on April 26 at the New York Rangers, becoming the first member of his draft class to appear in a playoff game. In 47 regular-season games with Hershey in 2023-24, Miroshnichenko led Bears rookies in points (25), assists (16), power-play goals (2), points-per-game (0.53) and plus-minus rating (+15). Miroshnichenkoadded 12 points (7g, 5a) in 20 playoff games during Hershey’s run to the Calder Cup championship, ranking tied for second in goals and tied for third in points among AHL rookies.
The Capitals selected Miroshnichenko in the first round (20th overall) of the 2022 NHL Draft. Miroshnichenko has recorded 10 points (3g, 7a) in 41 career NHL games with Washington. In 112 career AHL games with Hershey, Miroshnichenko has registered 76 points (36g, 40a).
