The Capitals have sent left-winger Ivan Miroshnichenko to AHL Hershey and returned left-winger Andrew Cristall to the WHL’s Kelowna Rockets, the team announced. Both were hoping to crack Washington’s opening night roster on the backs of solid training camp performances but will need to wait another year.
Miroshnichenko, 20, made his NHL debut last season and was shuttled between leagues for most of the 2024 calendar year. He’s still waiver-exempt with 138 games played and two professional seasons remaining until he loses that status.
He was drafted by the Capitals in the first round of the 2022 draft while dealing with a Hodgkin’s lymphoma diagnosis that he’s since beaten. After returning to health during the 2022-23 season, he signed his entry-level pact with Washington and came to North America for the 2023-24 campaign. He started the year in Hershey, totaling nine goals and 25 points in 47 games. He was much-improved in playoff action, contributing 12 points in 20 contests to help Hershey to its second straight Calder Cup championship.
The sharp-shooting winger didn’t look entirely out of place in NHL action last year, either. He made 21 regular-season appearances, totaling two goals and six points – a 23-point pace over 82 games, averaging 12:08 a night. He posted a -4 rating with a subpar 42.4 xGF% at even strength but did manage to control 47.6% of shot attempts, 2.7% more than the Caps controlled without him on the ice in his appearances. The 6’1″, 185-lb Russian flashed some physical play, too, recording 50 hits for an average of 2.38 per game.
While neither move is surprising, Cristall’s return to Kelowna is wholly expected. He made it much further in camp than most expected him to one year after being selected 40th overall in the 2023 draft, a testament to the dynamic offensive upside many teams let slip through the cracks. The 19-year-old Vancouver native has produced over a point per game in three straight WHL seasons and finished fifth in the league in scoring last season with 111 points (40 G, 71 A) in 62 games.
However, Cristall still needs to round out his defensive game before he’s ready for NHL ice. While Washington likely would have preferred to send him to Hershey to do that this year, he’s too young for a full-time AHL assignment and needed to be returned to the Rockets. As such, his entry-level contract will slide to the 2025-26 season, and he won’t count against Washington’s 50-contract limit this season.
The moves strongly indicate that Jakub Vrána, who attended Capitals camp on a professional tryout, has landed a contract. They’re likely waiting to make some minor moves to make an official announcement, but they have just 11 healthy forwards on their roster after sending down Cristall and Miroshnichenko.
Jake the snake is back. He’s had a solid showing so far.