In Hershey, Pennsylvania, the expectation is to win the Calder Cup every year. It made the previous week a failure for the most decorated team in the American Hockey League (AHL). The Hershey Bears lost their series to the Charlotte Checkers, and the quest for a three-peat is over.
The sentiment during the exit interviews and at clean-out day overall reflected that. Sure, there was a feeling of accomplishment, with many players looking back at the run and appreciating the nine consecutive playoff series victories, a record in the AHL, and the consecutive titles, knowing they did something special, even by this franchise’s standards. However, there also was a feeling they could have gone the extra mile, that there was enough in the tank for one more championship run.
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A bright spot from the past week, and the 2024-25 season altogether, was the play of forward Bogdan Trineyev. The power forward from Russia became a staple of the Bears and one of their best players as he matured into a two-way forward. “It’s been special to see him grow, and I was fortunate enough to play on a line with him for portions of the past couple of seasons,” Riley Sutter noted during the exit interviews.
Trineyev scored 14 goals this season and a team-leading five in the eight playoff games the Bears played in. “He’s just big and physical, and he keeps his game simple, and a couple of toe drags are in his toolbox,” Mike Vecchione mentioned during the exit interviews. Trineyev’s gone from a depth forward to the ideal skater for the NHL, and one the Washington Capitals will keep a close eye on for next season.
Trineyev’s Scoring
If there’s one thing that’s stood out about Trineyev since he came over from the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL), is his size and ability to play physical hockey. In the offensive zone, it’s his scoring instincts. He scored nine goals in his first season at the AHL level, and while he was a non-factor in the 2024 Playoff run, he came back stronger this season. “After practice, I stayed on the ice shooting the puck,” Trineyev noted at exit interviews, and it paid off, with 14 goals and five playoff goals in 70 total games.
It’s not just that the 23-year-old forward is finding the back of the net. It’s that he’s scoring in multiple ways. He’ll often power to the net to find a goal where he can collect loose pucks or finish scoring chances. There are also the goals where he fires the puck past the goaltender with a quick shot, which is how he scored in the Game 3 loss to the Checkers. Then, there are the plays where he wins the puck battle and finds a quick scoring chance, like his goal in Game 5 against the Lehigh Valley Phantoms that gave the Bears a 4-2 win and clinched the series.
“I feel more comfortable,” Trineyev added when talking about his play on the offensive end of the ice. It’s rare to find a power forward in hockey with skill, and he’s developed into that this season. It makes him a tough player to stop and an ideal part of a playoff roster, when physical play stands out and goals are hard to find.
Trineyev’s Two-Way Play
At 6-foot-3 and weighing nearly 200 pounds, Trineyev is one of the bigger forwards on the ice. It’s why he started his AHL career on the fourth line alongside veterans Riley Sutter and Matt Strome. Under head coach Todd Nelson, the Bears became a team that won with the forecheck and by pressuring the opposition into making mistakes. Trineyev did that better than most skaters on the team, as he could deliver a hard hit along the boards or create turnovers with his reach and strength.
What separates Trineyev from other power forwards is his speed. “He’s such a powerful skater and you don’t realize it because of his long strides with power,” Vecchione noted on his ability to build up momentum and use that speed to impact play in all three zones. The speed allows Trineyev to force turnovers, win loose pucks in space, and take advantage of open ice, something that is key to his scoring.
The combination gives Trineyev the talent to defend in the offensive zone as a forechecker, but also on the defensive end with his backcheck. He’ll often close in on opponents and remove them from the puck, and with more time in the AHL, he’s learned how to play a disciplined game. Trineyev will be in the right spot and know where the puck is going, something that’s commonplace for the Bears forward but not for the younger skaters.
It turned Trineyev into a top-six forward by the end of the season and a skater the Bears could play in all situations, from the penalty kill to the power play to defending with the net empty. That goal in Game 5 against the Phantoms doesn’t happen early on in the season because he’s not on the ice for that situation. But with the Phantoms’ net empty, Nelson had the confidence to allow Trineyev to take a shift and not only defend the Bears’ net but put the game away.
Playoff Hockey Is a Reminder Why Trineyev Is the Ideal Forward
In recent seasons, the NHL has seen specific skaters dominate in the playoffs. It’s the ones with skill, those who can take over a game with a big goal, but also the skaters with size who can power their way to the net and play a 200-foot game. Connor McDavid, Matthew Tkachuk, and Mikko Rantanen come to mind, especially with all four skaters playing in the conference finals.
Trineyev isn’t at the same level skill-wise as any of the above-mentioned skaters, and is far from it. At the NHL level, he’d play on the fourth line where his checking would stand out. However, Trineyev checks off all the boxes for a skater in the playoffs. He can score, he plays the physical game, and he can defend. It’s why he was the best player on the Bears in the recent playoff run and will be a valuable part of the Capitals’ prospect pool.
Capitals’ Patience With Trineyev Is Paying Off
The Capitals drafted Trineyev in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft with the knowledge that it would take time for him to both come over to North America and become a pro. Some skaters take time, and the Capitals, who have plenty of late bloomers on their roster, know that firsthand.
Aliaksei Protas entered this season with 13 goals at the NHL level and had 30 this season while establishing himself as a great power forward, something Trineyev, ironically, mirrors. Dylan Strome was a middle-six forward who was viewed as a draft bust from the 2015 class as the third pick behind McDavid and Jack Eichel. He finally hit his stride at 25 years old, and at 27, he was the leader in points for the Capitals, with 29 goals and 53 assists.
Trineyev had the traits to be great, but he needed the time to develop. The Capitals gave him that time and showed confidence by re-signing him to a one-year deal before the playoffs began. Now, he’s become a key part of the AHL roster with a path to the NHL roster as well. “If he continues to progress, I can see him going to the NHL. He can kill penalties, he can do it all,” Vecchione mentioned. Sutter added, “I think he’s got that good balance of skill, and he can bring the heavy side of the game. I think he’s got a bright future ahead of him.”
The Capitals have a great forward unit, one that led them to the best record in the Metropolitan Division. There aren’t many roster spots available for prospects to come in and take, especially on a team that will be competitive next season. However, Trineyev has all the qualities wanted in a fourth liner at the next level, with his scoring being a much-needed addition to his game. It’s why he could be on the NHL roster by the start of next season.
