Capitals Anticipate Fierce Competition from Prospects for NHL Roster Spots: ‘We’ll See Who’s Ready’ trucc

The Washington Capitals head into next season looking to continue a recent youth movement that helped them finish first in the NHL’s Eastern Conference during the 2024-25 campaign.

After a quieter first few days of free agency, some of the club’s top prospects will come to training camp in the fall with newfound opportunity as a few departures left holes on the team’s roster. General manager Chris Patrick was asked Saturday to identify the names he believes are closest to making a full-time jump to the NHL.

“I think it’s the obvious candidates, right?” Patrick said. “I mean, [Ivan Miroshnichenko], [Hendrix Lapierre], Ethen Frank had a good end of the season with us. Guys down in Hershey, Bogdan Trineyev, Henrik Rybinski. These guys have put in the time. That’s what training camp is for. We’ll see who’s ready to go. Obviously, we talked about (Justin) Sourdif last time, but he’s going to get a good shot here to be an established NHL guy. I think it’ll be good for them.”

Patrick has spoken about Miroshnichenko a couple of times over the past few weeks, hinting that the 2022 first-round pick will be given a real opportunity to stick with the Capitals for a full season. The 21-year-old Russian winger has played 39 NHL games over the past two seasons but has been unable to completely graduate from the AHL’s Hershey Bears, where he has played 100 games.

Miroshnichenko ended the 2024-25 campaign as Hershey’s leading goal scorer, scoring 23 goals in 53 games. He finished third in overall scoring in both the regular season with 42 points (23g, 19a) and in the playoffs with five points (3g, 2a) in eight games.

“I think [Miroshnichenko] needs to come in and have a really good camp,” Patrick said last month. “I think he needs to show the NHL coaches he’s ready to take the next step. When he gets chances to score goals, get good shots on net, don’t bobble pucks, and really be on your game.”

Lapierre is the lone restricted free agent in the organization without a contract after he was tendered a qualifying offer before the deadline earlier this week. The 23-year-old center finished the 2024-25 season with the Bears after failing to hold on to the third-line center position in the NHL with the Capitals. In 32 games for the Bears, Lapierre posted 32 points (7g, 25a).

After his first real offseason in two years due to the Bears crashing out early in the AHL playoffs, Lapierre is confident he’ll be back in the NHL with the Caps.

“I know good things will happen,” Lapierre said in May. “I’m confident. I know I can do those things that they’re asking me to do. And I’m looking forward to next season.”

Frank, 27, the oldest of the players Patrick listed, made his NHL debut with the Capitals in mid-January and then stuck with the team for the rest of the year. In his 24 appearances for the Caps, he recorded seven points (4g, 3a). Unlike most of the other names who are still prioritizing their development, Frank will be playing for his next contract as he is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent next summer.

Rybinski falls into a similar category with Frank, as despite being just 24, he is also slated to become a UFA next offseason after re-signing with the Capitals for one year last month. The Vancouver native will likely qualify as a Group 6 UFA, as he will be 25 when his contract ends, will have played three or more professional seasons, and has not yet played in more than 80 NHL games.

The Capitals did recall Rybinski last season, but head coach Spencer Carbery ultimately did not give him his NHL debut. Rybinski, playing a shutdown role for Todd Nelson in Hershey, recorded a career high 35 points (10g, 25a) in 60 games.

Trineyev, often a linemate of Rybinski’s with the Bears, is coming off a big postseason with the Bears, where he was the team’s leading scorer. The 23-year-old Russian posted seven points (5g, 2a) in eight playoff games after notching 22 points (14g, 8a) in 62 regular-season games.

The older prospects will also be challenged by some of their younger peers, like Andrew Cristall and Ilya Protas. Cristall, in particular, will be tough competition as the 20-year-old winger was the final cut from the Capitals’ training camp roster this past season.