Whenever the Washington Capitals select a player in the NHL Entry Draft out of Russia, the comparisons will always be to Alexander Ovechkin. It’s a high bar since Ovechkin is arguably the greatest scorer of all time but one Ivan Miroshnichenko hopes to reach by the end of his career, and something the Capitals sought when they selected him with the 20th overall pick in the 2022 Draft.
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The goal he scored for the Hershey Bears on Tuesday, Nov. 12 against the Bridgeport Islanders has shades of Ovechkin in it. Miroshnichenko was in the face-off circle and on a one-timer, he fired the puck to the back of the net with a slapshot to help the Bears win the game 5-4.
Miroshnichenko is in his second season in the American Hockey League (AHL) and with an eye on the NHL, he’s started to hit his stride and become a great player. He’s one of the best skaters on the Bears this season and the Capitals will call him up as a regular soon enough because of it.
Miroshnichenko’s First-Year Struggles
At this time a year ago, Miroshnichenko wasn’t in the lineup. He was battling injuries but more importantly, he was playing poorly and the Bears kept him in a limited role. He was a healthy scratch for a handful of games and when he played, he struggled to make a significant impact.
Adapting to the AHL is already a difficult task for any prospect. Going from the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) and overseas hockey in general to the AHL is a two-fold adjustment. Players need to learn the north-south game where space is hard to come by but the skill is just one notch below the NHL level. Miroshnichenko needed time to acclimate to the new game before the Bears saw his true impact.
Most AHL teams will allow their prospects to power through the struggles and still play big roles in the lineup. The Bears aren’t like most AHL teams. Yes, they want to develop the prospects but they see every season as Calder Cup or bust (they’ve won the title 13 times) and they won’t play prospects who hold them back and keep them from winning. Miroshnichenko needed a few games on the bench and to be eased into the lineup before becoming a regular in the forward unit.
The good news is that by the end of the 2023-24 season, Miroshnichenko was a key part of the offense. He finished with nine goals and 16 assists with seven goals and five assists in the playoffs to help the Bears win the Calder Cup. It was a finish that signaled that the sky would be the limit in 2024-25.
Miroshnichenko’s Role in the Offense
After finding his footing last season, he’s stepped up as the shooter on the wing. Miroshnichenko’s best attribute is finding the back of the net with his shot from the faceoff circles, but he does it all for the Bears. He can create scoring chances and find open skaters with centering passes and it’s made him a reliable part of the top six.
It also helps that Miroshnichenko is a great skater who can gash teams on the rush and make plays in space. However, his greatest impact is in the offensive zone which is a rarity for prospects. The game slows down in the offensive zone and when other players struggle to make plays, his hockey sense and skills make him a scoring threat on the ice. Those skills translate to the NHL, which is the next step for the 20-year-old winger.
Miroshnichenko has seven goals and seven assists through 14 games played. The 14 points are tied with Ethen Frank for the most on the Bears and unlike Frank, who has 10 goals and only four assists, he’s making an impact in all facets of the game. The Bears have plenty of talent in their forward unit, with star power and depth leading the way, yet Miroshnichenko still stands out.
Capitals Can Add to Deep Forward Unit
The Capitals are one of the surprises in the NHL this season. They have a 10-4 record and their offense has notably stood out, scoring 4.21 goals per game. Ovechkin’s scoring resurgence has helped, but the forward depth has made this team one of the best in the Eastern Conference.
The NHL roster will only improve with Miroshnichenko joining them at some point this season. He’d be a reliable scorer in the middle six and he could take the offense up another notch. It’s more likely that Miroshnichenko will stay in the AHL and help the Bears compete for another Calder Cup but if the Capitals are still in contention, it would be no surprise if he joins them for a run at the Stanley Cup.
