Photo: VHL
Washington Capitals forward prospect Ivan Miroshnichenko made the next big step in his inspirational return to the game of hockey on Monday, joining Omskie Krylia’s VHL team less than two weeks after being cleared for return to game action. Miroshnichenko was elevated from Advangard’s MHL (Junior) team to Avangard’s Supreme Hockey League (VHL) team over the weekend.
Miroshnichenko made his first appearance with the VHL team on Monday in a game against Metallurg Novokuznetsk. It was his first game with the VHL team since being diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma back in February.
⚡ ВОЗВРАЩЕНИЕ ГОДА ⚡
Один из лучших снайперов ВХЛ до 18 лет Иван Мирошниченко снова в строю! Нападающий проведёт первый матч в лиге после болезни 💪 pic.twitter.com/FX1mt877z0
— vhl_src (@vhl_src) November 21, 2022
Miroshnichenko completed treatment for Hodgkin’s lymphoma in June and returned to workouts with the MHL club on October 21. He was cleared to return to game action on November 8.
Miroshnichenko played in six games with the MHL affiliate (i.e. Russian Junior League) of Omskie Krylia, and in those six games, he’s tallied six goals and recorded two assists, scoring two goals in his most recent game.
Ivan Miroshnichenko was elevated from Avangard’s MHL team to their VHL team on Monday. He recorded two primary assists in Avangard’s 3-2 win over Metallurg Novokuznets. #ALLCAPS pic.twitter.com/xrMQMKnZaY
— Capitals Prospects (@jon_m_sorensen) November 21, 2022
Miroshnichenko (#63) started at left wing on the second line and had two primary assists in Omskie Krylia 3-2 win over Metallurg Novokuznetsk on Monday. His second assist came with less than a minute to go in regulation with the game tied, 2-2.
LOOK AT THIS PASS! 😍
🚨 Vladimir Mashkov 2nd of the game
🍎 Ivan Miroshnichenko #ALLCAPS
3-2 Omskie Krylia #VHL pic.twitter.com/urfR07pUAP— Hockey News Hub (@HockeyNewsHub) November 21, 2022
He had one shot on goal, a +2 rating in 15:13 ice time. He also received the team’s hard hat award for player of the game.
Ivan Miroshnichenko receives hard hat player of the game award. #ALLCAPS pic.twitter.com/3R3vRrVzeq
— Capitals Prospects (@jon_m_sorensen) November 21, 2022
Miroshnichenko, 18, played 31 games with the VHL club last season before he was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma. He recorded 10 goals and six assists in those 31 games. He has yet to play a game in the KHL.
The Capitals selected Miroshnichenko with the 20th overall selection in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft back on July 7th of this year.
By Jon Sorensen
Related Reading
Mario Lemieux, A Survivor Of Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, Reached Out To Capitals Prospect Ivan Miroshnichenko: “We Had A Great Conversation
Ivan Miroshnichenko Continues Goal-Scoring Streak
Ivan Miroshnichenko Lays HUGE Hit and Scores Goal in First Period of MHL Game
Ivan Miroshnicheno Scores First Goal of Season, Adds An Assist And Scores Shootout Winner In Second Game Back
Report: Ivan Miroshnichenko Cleared To Return To Game Action
Ivan Miroshnichenko Returns To Practice With Avangard Omsk
Great news! I think the pipeline looks fine…
We do have some high end talent in the system: Miro, Hendrix, Suzdalev, Persson, to name a few. Good news is our organizational ranking in mist publications went from near the bottom, to mid-teens. Would like a stud D, and a can’t miss goalie, but those aren’t on the horizon any time soon. The coming draft is very top heavy in forwards.
The really good news is the Penguins system is last or near last in pretty much every ranking!
And very weak in defense.
I wouldn’t say “extremely weak”. Chesley, Iorio and Johnson are two way guys, Johnson might have the most offensive upside. There’s nobody who’s a bona-fide blue chipper, certainly. The 2023 Draft is forward heavy, no blueliner makes early rankings till about 15th. We’ll likely have to wait till 2024 or later draft for the stud blueliner, or #1 goalie.
Iorio and Chesley are both second rounders. Caps have done well drafting D in the 2nd lately. Fehervary, Siegenthaler.
Keep going Miro, we’re behind you!
I’m looking forward to the day when Miro is the Hodgkins survivor in a Caps uni destroying the Penguins. A bit of payback for what Mario did to us 30 years ago
This kid is such an inspiration
I like how his organization eased him back into where he was at developmentally. Good for them. Before he was diagnosed with Hodgkins, he may have had symptoms, like fatigue, so how will his current numbers at the same club compare to his previous? That will be interesting to find out.
Go Miro! Thanks for these updates, Jon!
Love to see Miro is the future! If the big club continues to falter this year record wise because of major injuries I’m all for loading up for the future. If somehow they landed Bedard or there’s another couple other studs in the top 10 should caps continue to play sub .500 hockey. Mickov the highly skilled Russian winger possibly add to Miro, Dvorsky Slovak C/W potential fall back option to Bedard.. highly skilled, PP runner top 6 C. Yagor another Top 6 C
Forget reverse retro, I need a Miro sweater.
I’m sure #63 should be available when he comes to the team.
I would like one from his Russian team. Do you by chance have any idea where you can get them?
Shhhh!!! Don’t jinx it! With our luck, now the Caps will trade for Marchand!
Have you seen Boston’s record this year? Trading for Marchand would NOT be the worst trade the Caps could do. Would still hate him tho.
Shhh!!! Guess who BMac would trade for Marchand. A right shooting Russian, not named Ovi.
(Knock wood, throw salt over shoulder)
Will we soon become Ivangelists?
👏👏👏. Is that lifted from somewhere else, or are you the author?
That is my original!
Ivangelists! I like that! 🤣
When he makes it, we should market “Ivangelist” themed items, complete with #63.
You’re in violation of the punal code, and are hereby sentenced to the punitentiary
Preds went into the youth rebuild and then this summer backed off and hired some experience to go with it. They improved. That’s why I prefer a gradual retooling rather than a full on rebuild. I like a mix of experience and youth. But it also requires a coach who knows how to best use all of them. We don’t have that kind of coach.
Beware of small sample sizes in VHL games, but the Miroshnichenko pick is the type of risk-taking I was talking about in other posts: take a shot with top-5-pick-rated talent who slipped due to health risks. If he has beaten cancer and the scouts were right about his skills, then the payoff is huge for the Caps.
Lapierre was a similar risky pick that looks like it might pay off.
But it will take more than 2 of those to win future Cups. Suzdalev is an interesting player, but let’s not anoint him until he gets out of juniors and is no longer getting ridiculously creative passes from Bedard. Persson? Maybe, though let’s see if he and Suzdalev can make the Swedish U-20 team this month, and if so what they do in the big tournament next month. Chesley and Iorio look like they have a chance to be good NHL players. However, I’m not sure how many of these kids have the top-end talent needed to bring the Caps back to the top of the league.
That’s why I believe the Caps need to be aggressive sellers at the deadline this year, willing to package pretty much anybody they can on the NHL roster except Ovechkin (and Wilson), with anybody in Hershey not named Lapierre, to try to get young, high-ceiling talent.
I’m not even paying attention to stats at this point. He’s fully back to where he was before diagnosis. 9 months. Incredible.
I see The Athletic has a story “NHL future watch: Who’s the hottest player in each team’s prospect pipeline?” If anyone subscribes and can read the article, whom did they select for the Caps?
Ivan M. was their pick.
Thanks. Good choice.