Canucks rumoured to have interest in young Russian winger
The rebuilding Vancouver Canucks need more young talent.
So it’s understandable that a 22-year-old former first-round pick hitting the trade block might catch their interest.
In his Saturday Headlines feature a few days ago on Sportsnet, Elliotte Friedman reported that the Washington Capitals are looking to trade Ivan Miroshnichenko.
“He’s played three games this year, scored against Montreal, but he just can’t get in the lineup,” said Friedman. “He’s been given permission to talk to other teams by the Capitals.”
According to David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period, the Canucks are one of the teams interested in Miroshnichenko, though they are far from alone. The Chicago Blackhawks, Calgary Flames, Seattle Kraken, Los Angeles Kings, and Philadelphia Flyers are also reportedly interested.
Miroshnichenko was the 20th-overall pick in 2022, but in terms of talent, he likely should have gone much earlier. The Russian factor and a diagnosis of Hodgkin’s lymphoma in his draft year complicated his projection.
Thankfully, Miroshnichenko was fully in remission by the 2022 Draft. In addition, he bucked the trend of some Russian prospects and only spent one more season in Russia after he was drafted, and has been playing professionally in North America for the past three seasons.
Unfortunately, he has struggled to break through at the NHL level.
In some ways, his story is similar to that of Jonathan Lekkerimäki, who went five picks ahead of him in the 2022 Draft. The speedy, powerful winger is a legitimate offensive force at the AHL level, with 37 goals and 76 points across 94 games over the past two seasons, but has just six goals and 14 points in 55 career NHL games.
While Lekkerimäki was given the opportunity to prove himself in the NHL this season on the rebuilding Canucks — and is making the most of that opportunity — the Capitals simply have too many wingers, leaving Miroshnichenko languishing in the press box.
The Canucks, however, could make room for Miroshnichenko, either by trading a veteran forward, waiving someone like Arshdeep Bains, or sending Victor Mancini down to the AHL while he’s still exempt from waivers.
The big question is the potential cost.
“What the Capitals have said here is they have to get a legit return,” reported Friedman. “They’re not going to put him on waivers; they know he won’t clear. They will trade him, but the return has to be legitimate. They won’t do it just for the sake of doing it.”
Given Miroshnichenko’s struggles to produce in the NHL, the Canucks would be buying low on him. But with several teams interested, that could drive up the price a little bit.
Friedman reported on the 32 Thoughts podcast that the return could be similar to that of Egor Chinakhov, who the Pittsburgh Penguins acquired for Danton Heinen, a 2026 second- round pick, and a 2027 third-round pick.
Chinakhov found his footing in Pittsburgh and had 18 goals and 36 points in 43 games with the Penguins last season.
Miroshnichenko is less established than Chinakhov was at the time of that trade, so would conceivably fetch a lesser return.