Kyle Dubas has made a habit of hunting for players who need a fresh start, and the Pittsburgh Penguins general manager could have another one staring him right in the face.
That possibility came up on Elliotte Friedman’s 32 Thoughts: The Podcast, where he mentioned Washington forward Ivan Miroshnichenko as a name to watch. For a Penguins team that keeps looking for ways to get younger, the fit is easy to see. Miroshnichenko is a former first-round pick, still only 22, and has enough talent to make him a tempting gamble.
Pittsburgh has already shown it’s willing to do business with division rivals. Over the summer, the Penguins dealt with the Capitals to bring in Hendrix Lapierre. That history matters here, because if Washington decides it needs to move Miroshnichenko, Dubas would make sense as a buyer.
The problem for Washington is simple: the team likes him, but there may not be room for him. Miroshnichenko has talent, but the Capitals have too much depth to get him into the lineup consistently. Unless injuries open the door, he risks being squeezed out, and that could force Washington to explore a trade rather than expose him to waivers.
That’s where Pittsburgh comes in. The Penguins have plenty of draft capital over the next several years, and they’re the kind of team that could absorb a calculated swing on a young winger. Even with a crowded forward group, Miroshnichenko fits the profile Dubas tends to chase.
The winger was drafted in the first round of the 2022 NHL Draft and spent the years from his draft class through the start of the 2023 season playing in Russia. Since then, he has not been able to secure a full-time NHL role. He has appeared in 53 NHL games, while his best production has come in the AHL, where he has 101 points in 141 games.
His path to a regular spot in Washington has been difficult, and at the moment, it doesn’t look like that will change soon.
There is also a comparison that stands out: Rutger McGroarty, except Miroshnichenko would not have the same waiver flexibility with the Penguins. If Washington does put him on the trade block, Pittsburgh should be right there looking hard at the opportunity.
In Other News...
Penguins Let Another Promising Start Slip Away In Colorado
For a stretch at Ball Arena, it looked like the Penguins might turn a fast start into something worth carrying home. Evgeni Malkin and Bryan Rust put Pittsburgh up 2-0 in the first period, and Arturs Silovs helped steady things with a string of key saves as Colorado tried to push back early.
The night changed after that, and quickly. Colorado seized control with five unanswered goals, getting two from Artturi Lehkonen and one from T.J. Hughes while Pittsburghs power play never found a response, going 0-for-3. Silovs even turned aside Nathan MacKinnon on a penalty shot, but the Penguins still walked away with another lead that slipped through their hands. [Read more 🡒]
Penguins Let Promising Start Slip Away In Frustrating Cleveland Loss
Avery Hayes gave Wilkes-Barre/Scranton an early lift with a pair of goals, but the Penguins could not turn that promising start into points in a 4-2 loss to the Cleveland Monsters at Rocket Arena. Cleveland answered with a steady push of its own, with Mikael Pyyhti leading the way as the Monsters extended their winning streak to four and kept the Penguins from building any momentum on the road.
The setback left the Penguins searching for a cleaner finish after letting the game get away in the middle stages. They will not have to wait long for a chance to respond, since the two teams are set to meet again the next day in the same building, giving Wilkes-Barre/Scranton an immediate shot to reset and see if it can tighten things up before the series moves on. [Read more 🡒]
Sam Girard Is Becoming A Penguins Story Fans Can Feel Good About
Since arriving from Colorado in February, Sam Girard has started to look like the kind of piece Pittsburgh hoped it was getting, and his first full season with the Penguins has only strengthened that impression. The defenseman spent the offseason refining the areas he thought could help him settle in faster, and the early returns have been encouraging as he looks more comfortable in the teams systems.
Girards progress has not gone unnoticed around the league, either. Former coach Dan Muse has praised what he brings, and Nathan MacKinnon has spoken highly of both his contributions and his character, a reminder that this is more than just a change-of-scenery story. For a Penguins team still sorting out its long-term shape, Girard is becoming the sort of player fans can feel good about following into the next stretch. [Read more 🡒]