The Capitals are reportedly looking for a high draft pick or a top prospect in return for Ivan Miroshnichenko.
That ask has been the sticking point. Earlier this week we reported that Ivan Miroshnichenko's stalled trade talks had run into Washington's asking price, with David Pagnotta saying there was no obvious fit for the 22-year-old forward.
A fresh report this morning sharpens exactly what the Capitals want back: a high pick or a top prospect to swap out.
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Washington took Miroshnichenko 20th overall in 2022, so the team has a first-round investment to protect. Asking for a similar piece in return is understandable on paper.
The NHL résumé is the problem. Over 55 career games, he has 6 goals and 14 points.
This season he has played 3 games with 1 goal, and it came on the power play. That is a small sample, and it is the only one a buyer gets to look at right now.
He is 6'1 and 185 pounds, still young, and the injury report lists nothing on him. Those are the selling points, and they are about projection rather than production.
Who pays a first-round price for Miroshnichenko?
Probably nobody, at least not at the number Washington seems to want. A team that gives up a top prospect or a high pick expects a player who changes its lineup, and 14 points in 55 games doesn't do that.
If the Capitals really are holding firm, this drags on. If they soften and ask for a mid-level prospect or a later pick, a team with a hole on the wing could jump. The gap between those two positions is why Monday's report said talks had stalled.
Washington isn't desperate, either. The Capitals are 10-6-0 and sit fourth in the Metropolitan Division, and they won in Ottawa last night, 3-2 in overtime, on a Cole Hutson goal.
With a record like that, general manager Chris Patrick can wait for the right offer instead of taking the first one that comes.
The Capitals play at New Jersey on Thursday, and the Miroshnichenko market is worth watching around it.
Quick hits
LOS ANGELES KINGS: Drew Doughty appears to have avoided injury after a scare late in the Kings' loss to Nashville, according to Andrew Knoll. Good news for a team that can't afford to lose its top defenseman.
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DETROIT RED WINGS: Ryan Hana reports a scrum broke out after the final horn in St. Louis, starting with Lucas Raymond and Blues defenseman Philip Broberg. Tempers were short at the end of that one.
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MONTREAL CANADIENS: Cole Caufield's slashing penalty with 53 seconds left in regulation cost the Canadiens in a 2-1 overtime loss to the Wild. Fans aren't happy, and it's hard to argue.
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OTTAWA SENATORS: Nick Cousins was down on the ice after a violent collision with Jakob Chychrun late in the third period. Expect plenty of debate about that hit today.
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NEW JERSEY DEVILS: Winnipeg fans turned on Connor Hellebuyck, even though the Devils goalie wasn't playing against his old team. That is a rough night to be on the wrong side of a crowd.
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This article was written with the help of artificial intelligence, based on public reports and official sources.
Should the Capitals lower their asking price for Ivan Miroshnichenko?
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