Spencer Carbery explains why Capitals chose to recall Bogdan Trineyev from AHL’s Hershey Bears: ‘If there’s an opportunity to go into the lineup, he’s earned it’

The Washington Capitals gave Bogdan Trineyev the first NHL recall of his career on Wednesday afternoon.

Trineyev, a 2020 fourth-round pick, has been a full-time player in the Capitals’ organization with the AHL’s Hershey Bears since the 2022-23 campaign. The Caps brought the Russian power forward up after placing veteran center Nic Dowd on injured reserve, and head coach Spencer Carbery explained Friday the rationale behind choosing Trineyev as the first man up.

“Trineyev, just the call-up there, he’s not going to play tonight, but with Dowd on IR now, needing an extra forward,” Carbery said. “He’s played really well down in Hershey, from all reports. Miro is just coming back right now, so just the thought process to let him continue to play, not taking anything away from Bogdan, he’s playing really, really well.

“He’s earned that call-up and that opportunity to come up. If we see fit of him going into the lineup, not going to commit to anything at this point, but if there’s an opportunity to go into the lineup, he’s earned it.”

Trineyev has been one of Hershey’s top players this season, posting 12 points (6g, 6a) in 15 games for the 10-6-1 Bears. He had been forming fantastic chemistry on a line with Ilya Protas and Ivan Miroshnichenko before the recall, recording six points (3g, 3a) in his last five games.

The 23-year-old winger is also the first forward off the bench for Hershey’s penalty kill and gets reps on the team’s second power-play unit. Under previous head coach Todd Nelson, Trineyev was part of a dominant checking line during the 2024 AHL playoffs that helped deliver a second Calder Cup in as many years to Chocolatetown.

While Trineyev didn’t make his debut against the Winnipeg Jets on the night of his recall, he did receive an ovation from Capitals players during their postgame locker room celebration. He will be a healthy scratch against the Toronto Maple Leafs again, but Carbery also revealed that the Caps do not yet have a good timeline on when Dowd will be ready to return.

The Capitals are set to embark on a four-game road trip, starting this weekend in New York against the Islanders. They then head out west for three games in California, and if Trineyev makes the trip, he could make his NHL debut next week.

Bogdan is currently the only extra forward on the team’s roster.