Photo: VHL Moscow Dynamo
Picture this. It’s one of the biggest days of your young hockey life. You are beaming with excitement and anticipation as you settle in to watch the NHL draft, thinking your name could be called at any moment. Then your cable goes out! That’s exactly what happened to Russian hopeful Bogdan Trineyev.
“At that time I had a game with the Amur Tigers. When the game was over, it was round three (of the draft). We connected the broadcast on TV and started watching. In the fourth round, my broadcast was disconnected, and when I reconnected everything, another team was already choosing. I didn’t even notice that I was chosen. And then I looked – my name was on the monitor! Inexpressible emotions! It was very nice.”
The Washington Capitals selected Russian winger Bogdan Trineyev in the fourth round (#117 overall) of the 2020 NHL Entry Draft. Unfortunately for the 18-year-old, he missed the original announcement of his selection. However, he did eventually get to celebrate with friends and family.
“Yes, the guys with whom I watched congratulated (me). Then a representative from the Capitals called. After, the parents texted – they also congratulated. They watched the game and the draft at the same time,” said Trineyev.
The 6’2” right-winger, who has split his time this season with Dynamo Moscow’s MHL and VHL junior clubs, said he was only contacted by the Capitals twice this year.
“I spoke with the Capitals only twice. Once in the summer and once a week before the draft. I felt they were interested, but didn’t fully know, so I followed the draft.”
In this time of the COVID-19 pandemic, NHL teams were challenged in getting to know potential draft picks, as personal face-to-face interviews were essentially eliminated. However, Bogdan feels the Capitals did a pretty good job getting to (virtually) know him.
“When I talked with representatives of the Capitals, they knew me inside and out. But personally, I did not communicate with them – I spoke with the help of instant messengers.”
Trineyev feels that the fact the draft was delayed from June to October, and the fact that European leagues are now playing once again while North America sits idle, helped his standing in this year’s draft.
“They looked at us, how we act already at an adult level. I think this affected the choice.”
Trineyev, who is currently playing for Dynamo’s VHL team has also played ten games in the MHL this season. Look for Bogdan to eventually elevate to the the MHL full time, then to the top tier with the KHL’s Dynamo.
“I am gradually getting used to it. The Senior League is a completely different level.
Trineyev is excited to become a Capitals prospect, but fully realizes there is still a lot of work to do before he books a ticket to North America.
“I’m not thinking about the NHL now. Yes, we did, but we need to keep working. All my thoughts are occupied only by the Dynamo system. I would like to go through the entire vertical of this great club.”
By Jon Sorensen
