The Washington Capitals are a little over a month away from the start of training camp, and while a lot of eyes will be on the new additions, there are some familiar faces and rising stars to keep an eye on, too.
While spots will be hard to come by — there aren't too many vacancies with Pierre-Luc Dubois, Andrew Mangiapane and more now in the picture — there are still some forward prospects to keep an eye on that will be looking to shake things up.
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Here are four fringe Washington forwards to watch going into camp.
Ivan Miroshnichenko
Miroshnichenko finally made it overseas to North America this past year and adapted quite well.
The 20-year-old had 25 points in 47 regular-season games with Hershey and also got 21 games at the NHL level, putting up two goals and four assists for six points. Then, in the Calder Cup Playoffs, Miroshnichenko really broke out.
In 20 games en route to the Bears' second consecutive championship, Miroshnichenko impressed with seven goals and five assists. He was a force to be reckoned with, using his 6-foot-1 frame to his advantage while showcasing his speed, high hockey IQ and stickhandling ability, along with his lethal shot.
Miroshnichenko is eager to prove that he's NHL-ready and will be looking to make some noise and stir up the competition at training camp, which will be heavy with wingers Andrew Mangiapane, Brandon Duhaime and Taylor Raddysh joining the mix this offseason and Connor McMichael also getting set to shift to the wing with Hendrix Lapierre graduating to the NHL level.
Related: Miroshnichenko Impressing Ovechkin, Capitals As He Gets More Comfortable On & Off The Ice: 'He's Learning A Lot, He Uses My Sticks'
Ethen Frank
Frank is doing everything right, and the Capitals continue to be impressed by him. That's why he signed an extension this offseason. Now, it's just a matter of timing.
The 26-year-old had another All-Star season down at the AHL level, picking up 29 goals and adding 18 assists for 47 points in the regular season for the Bears before picking up 10 goals in 18 playoff games en route to the Calder Cup. However, the right time just didn't present for Frank this season when it came to the possibility of a call-up.
With new additions and fellow prospects looking to make their mark and T.J. Oshie's status still up in the air, it'll be hard for Frank to fight his way onto the NHL scene. At this point, though, he's done more enough to prove his worth, and with a strong camp, could force Spencer Carbery's hand and end up getting NHL ice time sooner rather than later.
Bogdan Trineyev
After Beck Malenstyn was traded and before D.C. brought in Duhaime, former general manager Brian MacLellan suggested that Bogdan Trineyev could potentially fill that role. And going forward, it's important to keep an eye on the Russian winger.
Trineyev played that utility role to a tee this past season with Hershey, picking up 16 points in 63 games while battling hard for pucks, using his size and speed to open space for himself, getting to the dirty areas and killing penalties.
As he continues to find an identity for himself on the ice, expect him to continue to stand out within the organization and get his NHL chance.
Related: Capitals Prospects To Watch: Bogdan Trineyev A Dark Horse For NHL Time Next Season
Riley Sutter
Sutter was among the standouts at last year's training camp and also had another solid year as the identity fourth-line center with Hershey, and he's definitely getting closer to making that jump.
The 6-foot-4, 204-pound forward had 23 points in 66 regular-season games for Hershey this year and also wore the "A." Beyond his point totals, he was a utility player, killing penalties, blocking shots and winning key draws.
He plays a similar role to Nic Dowd, and as Dowd enters the final year of his contract, eyes will be on Sutter to continue proving his worth and show that he can be a full-time utility player at the highest level.
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