The Canadiens may have found a target that sits right in the sweet spot of their roster needs and their draft-pick inventory.
According to Elliotte Friedman, Ivan Miroshnichenko is drawing attention around the league, and the comparison being floated is the Egor Chinakhov trade. Friedman said someone raised that deal as a possible benchmark for Miroshnichenko’s market, and he said he’s interested to see whether that holds up. For Montreal, the appeal is obvious: if that’s the price, it’s the kind of move worth serious consideration.
Miroshnichenko is 22, shoots right, plays left wing, and was picked 20th overall by Washington in the 2022 NHL Draft. In 55 NHL games, he has 14 points, including a power-play goal in three appearances this season. He’s also described as a big forward with the ability to play center, which only adds to the intrigue for a Canadiens team looking for versatile young talent.
The cost matters here, too. Miroshnichenko carries a cap hit of $925,000, and his AHL production with Hershey has been much stronger: 42 points in 53 games in 2024-25, then 34 points in 41 games last season.
If the asking price really lands in the range Friedman is talking about, second- and third-round draft picks could be enough to get something done, especially with multiple clubs believed to be monitoring the situation. Montreal also has an extra second-round pick from the Jayden Struble trade, which gives Kent Hughes some flexibility.
The Canadiens’ timing makes sense as well. Nick Suzuki is out until at least November 18, and Montreal is sitting at 6-3-2, so healthy forwards are a real need. Miroshnichenko checks a lot of the boxes the Canadiens seem to want: age, upside, and a profile that fits where the team is trying to go.
Washington, for its part, is 6-4-0 and averaging 3.4 goals per game after a 4-3 overtime win over Buffalo. Friedman had already noted that several teams are watching Miroshnichenko because they believe he has more to give at the NHL level.
As Friedman explained on 32 Thoughts:
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