David Pagnotta says there is no obvious fit for a trade involving Ivan Miroshnichenko, the 22-year-old forward who has been put on the block by the Capitals.
Washington drafted the winger 20th overall in 2022, so this is a former first-round pick being shopped, not a throw-in. He has played 3 games this season and scored once, on the power play.
Pagnotta's message this morning is a cold bucket for anyone expecting a quick deal.
Pagnotta noted that there just isn't a fit there, and that it sounds like the asking side wants either high picks or prospects who are a year or two away, simply because there's no room.
-
That's a steep list for a player with 14 points in 55 career games. High picks for a depth winger who has scored 6 goals at this level is a stretch, and teams will say so.
The money part is simple. Miroshnichenko carries a cap hit under $1 million through 2027-28, and he is a restricted free agent when it expires. That's cheap, but cheap doesn't make him a centerpiece.
Washington isn't selling off a lost season, either. The Capitals are 9-6-0, fourth in the Metropolitan Division, and beat the Panthers 4-3 on Saturday.
Why Miroshnichenko's market looks thin
Nothing in what Pagnotta described points to a team with open roster space and a need for a young winger. The "no room" part is the sticking point, and it works against any buyer expecting to plug him straight in.
That leaves two paths: a modest return that fits his résumé, or a longer wait for a team that values a 22-year-old with a first-round pedigree. The Capitals appear to want more than the first, which is where this could stall.
Washington's next game is Thursday at New Jersey. Whether this goes anywhere will depend on who actually calls.
Quick hits
OTTAWA SENATORS: Bruce Garrioch just reported that Linus Ullmark is ready to return to the Senators' net. Ottawa has waited for this one.
-
NEW JERSEY DEVILS: Connor Hrabchak is hinting the Devils could recall goalie David Rittich with Anthony Mantha hurt. The Connor Hellebuyck saga also has a new wrinkle.
-
WINNIPEG JETS: Connor Hellebuyck won't play in Winnipeg on Tuesday, but he will still face the Jets' hometown media. He says he'll explain why he wanted out, and that should be a tense room.
-
PHILADELPHIA FLYERS: Owen Tippett says the Flyers are "playing a little bit scared" after the 4-3 overtime loss in Calgary. That's a blunt thing to say out loud.
-
PITTSBURGH PENGUINS: Dan Kingerski posted this morning that Kris Letang was brutally honest after the Penguins' 5-2 loss in Anaheim. Pittsburgh's locker room didn't hold back.
-
Should the Capitals hold Ivan Miroshnichenko until a team meets their price?
Also read on Markerzone.com:
Maple Leafs solve massive problem in blockbuster captain trade proposal: Dylan Larkin
