On Friday, the Washington Capitals recalled forward Ivan Miroshnichenko from the AHL’s Hershey Bears. In addition, the team placed forward Justin Sourdif on injured reserve (IR).
Miroshnichenko, 21, previously made his season debut for the Capitals on Dec. 20, and also played the next day on Dec. 21. In Hershey this season, the Russian forward has recorded 16 points (6 goals, 10 assists).
Miroshnichenko had a stellar 2024-25 campaign with the Bears, setting career highs in goals (23), assists (19), and points (42). The forward’s 23 goals led Hershey, while his 42 points ranked third on the team.
The Capitals selected Miroshnichenko in the first round (20th overall) of he 2022 NHL Draft. He has recorded 10 points (3 goals, 7 assists) in 41 career NHL games. Additionally, Miroshnichenko has 83 points (38 goals, 45 assists) in 120 career AHL games.
Meanwhile, Sourdif, 23, has been a quality addition to the Capitals this season. The rookie has recorded 19 points (9 goals, 10 assists) in 45 games.
Sourdif was selected in the third round (87th overall) by the Florida Panthers in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft. Last summer, he was traded to the Capitals and signed a two-year, $1.65 million contract extension the next day.
The Capitals have struggled since the team’s last winning streak ended in early December, going 7-9-4 across 20 games. One of the main factors of the slump has been injuries.
The Capitals already lost Pierre-Luc Dubois in late October for a majority of the season. During the recent slump, the team has been without various players in the lineup at points, due to injuries/illnesses. That list includes Sourdif, Ryan Leonard, Tom Wilson, Aliaksei Protas, and Jakob Chychrun.
