Ivan Miroshnichenko has permission to talk to other teams, and the Washington Capitals want a legit return for a winger they won't dress.
Elliotte Friedman laid it out on Saturday Headlines. The 22-year-old just can't get in the lineup, and the organization has opened the door for him to find a new home.
The usage tells the story. Miroshnichenko has dressed for three of the Capitals' 10 games this season.
And he didn't waste the little ice he got. His lone goal came on the power play, and he went plus-1 across that tiny sample.
So what exactly is a young forward supposed to prove from three games? Not much, which is the whole problem.
Spencer Carbery's top six hasn't left any daylight. Alex Tuch has 7 goals already, and 4 of them stood up as game winners.
Even the depth spots are spoken for. Justin Sourdif has dressed for 8 games with 2 points, a runway Miroshnichenko simply hasn't been handed.
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Chris Patrick sets a steep price on a winger he barely uses
Here's where the plan falls apart. Asking for a real return on a player you keep out of the lineup is a bad bet, and every rival GM calling Washington knows it.
It's a bit like listing a house while keeping the blinds shut. Buyers never pay up for rooms they can't see.
The money won't be the sticking point. His $925,000 cap hit is the kind of number that slides into a bottom six without anyone losing sleep.
The Capitals aren't exactly cruising either. They're 6-4-0 and fourth in the Metropolitan, with a 1-2-0 road record that hints at a group still sorting itself out.
And Patrick has other fires on the desk. Vincent Desharnais is on IR with an abdomen injury, expected out until at least Dec 5.
Does a legit return mean help on the blue line? Washington hasn't said, and the answer will shape who picks up the phone.
The crease is another wrinkle. Logan Thompson is on IR with a lower-body injury, and Charlie Lindgren has posted a .886 save percentage across 3 appearances.
Washington hosts Philadelphia on Wednesday, then heads to Nashville the next night for the back half of a back-to-back.
Two more lineup cards. If Miroshnichenko's name isn't on either one, that asking price starts to look a lot more like a bluff.
Should the Capitals move Ivan Miroshnichenko now even if the return is underwhelming?
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