The Capitals have to open a roster spot when they return from the break.
ARLINGTON, V.A. — The Washington Capitals have some roster decisions to mull over during the holiday break, and started by loaning Henrik Rybinski back to the AHL's Hershey Bears.
Rybinski was recalled prior to the break with Lars Eller going on the injured reserve due to illness. While he did not play, it marked his first NHL call up that was a testament to the work he's put in to improve his game.
As Rybinski returns to the AHL, the Capitals roster sits at 22 players, one away from the maximum of 23.
Washington returns from the holiday break on Friday, and Alex Ovechkin is slated to return shortly after as he's on the mend from a broken leg. Eller is also eligible to come off the injured reserve if he's feeling better.
That will mean that another roster spot has to open up to allow both to return, leading to some upcoming roster decisions. And ultimately, those decisions may be tough to make.
With Jakub Vrana going on a three-game scoring streak and four-game point streak ahead of the break, his spot appears to be safe for now.
That ultimately means it comes down to either Ivan Miroshnichenko or Hendrix Lapierre taking the trip back to Hershey.
Ivan Miroshnichenko was called up from the Bears in November to fill Ovechkin's void, and has since fit in well into that fourth-line role. Recent benchings, though, indicate that there's still a bit for the 20-year-old to learn, so a return to Hershey may be beneficial.
At the same time, Hendrix Lapierre has struggled to find consistency in his game, and could very well benefit from some time in the AHL to get his groove back.
