Bogdan Trineyev will make his NHL debut for the Capitals against the Jets: ‘That’s a lifelong goal of his, so just go out there and be yourself’
Bogdan Trineyev will make his NHL debut for the Washington Capitals on Saturday night. The 23-year-old winger will get a sweater from head coach Spencer Carbery, with Sonny Milano healthy-scratched against the Winnipeg Jets.
Trineyev earned his second recall of the season in as many weeks after Ryan Leonard was injured against the Anaheim Ducks at the beginning of the month and placed on injured reserve. He has been an NHL healthy scratch for five games this season ahead of his debut on Saturday in Winnipeg.
Carbery was asked pregame what he’s looking for from the rookie forward in his first taste of action at hockey’s highest level.
“Just be himself,” Carbery said. “I told him yesterday the plan was for him to play tonight and get his first NHL game, and he’s done a great job inside the organization. He had a great start in Hershey; our player development coaches rave about just his overall 200-foot game and how well he’s played in the American Hockey League.
“I know he’s been up here for a while, so he’s kinda been patiently waiting for an opportunity to get into the lineup. He will tonight, and that’s a lifelong goal of his, so just go out there and be yourself. Go compete your butt off, don’t worry about making mistakes. Just go and be yourself, play your game.”
The 23-year-old Russian will line up on the right wing of the Capitals’ fourth line with Brandon Duhaime and his longtime Hershey Bears teammate, center Hendrix Lapierre. Milano comes out of the team’s lineup after playing just 6:09 of ice time against the Carolina Hurricanes on Thursday night.
Trineyev has become one of the Bears’ most integral players in his third full season with the club, playing the biggest role he has had yet as a professional under head coach Derek King. He is the first player off the bench for Hershey’s penalty kill and has also seen power-play time on the team’s second unit.
“I would say this [past training camp] was better than his first,” Carbery said. “I think the language barrier and just feeling completely comfortable in training camp have been a challenge for Bogdan because you’ve always heard about him. He had a good first year, the Calder Cup, comes back, and you’re like ‘Okay,’ and then this year, he was better. I don’t think it was at a level that he’s capable of in training camp, but, again, he got off to a really good start in the AHL.
“Sometimes, some guys in training camp, there’s 60 guys, there’s all this stuff happening, and they get lost in the shuffle a little bit, or they don’t feel completely comfortable. Then they come up when it’s just the NHL 23 [players], just like Ethen Frank did last year, didn’t have a great camp. He came up and was fantastic when there were 23 guys around, not 60. So, hopefully for Bogdan, coming up here and just being comfortable with the group, being able to communicate more on a personal level with him and the coaches, being clear with expectations and systems, and all that stuff. Hopefully, that helps set him up for success.”
Despite spending time with the Caps on his two recalls, Trineyev still sits third on the Bears in points with 12 (6g, 6a) in 16 games. The 2020 fourth-round draft pick will wear number 87 for the Capitals, the first player since Liam O’Brien (2015-2018) to don those digits in a game for the team.
Trineyev will be the first Capitals player to make his NHL debut this season. Puck drop in Winnipeg is set for 7 pm.
