Eriks Mateiko has a new number.
The 6-foot-5 Latvian centerman will now wear number 58 when he suits up for the Washington Capitals in the preseason and perhaps someday in the NHL, giving up his former number 73 to newly-signed defenseman Vincent Desharnais.
Mateiko showed off his new digits on Friday as he took to the ice with the Capitals for their informal skate on Friday, per RMNB’s Katie Adler. The Capitals prospect, who is expected to play for the Hershey Bears next season, joined Desharnais, Logan Thompson, Pierre-Luc Dubois, Matt Roy, Martin Fehervary, Lynden Lakovic, and Jonny Brodzinski on the ice ahead of the final weekend in August.
Per Hockey Reference, only two players have worn number 58 with the Capitals in an NHL game before: Jean-François Fortin from 2002 through 2004 and Connor Carrick from 2014 through 2016.
Mateiko, who wore number 13 during his rookie season with Hershey in the AHL, is returning from a significant, freakish injury he sustained last season. The 20-year-old forward, who will turn 21 in November, took an opponent’s skate blade to his right leg, which cut through his equipment and tore his Achilles tendon.
Mateiko underwent successful surgery in January, but was ruled out for the rest of the season. He also missed out on playing for Latvia at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina the next month.
When RMNB spotted Mateiko in April, he was already walking around without crutches or much of a limp.
He had a positive attitude about his recovery, choosing to remain in Hershey for rehab and to stay close to the team down the stretch of the season. Mateiko roomed with Bogdan Trineyev and Ilya Protas, who both made their NHL debuts last season.
