If you haven’t heard yet, Nylander has been assigned to Grand Rapids of the AHL for a conditioning stint.

And if you haven’t heard yet it means this is your first stop for Caps news…and if that’s the case, you are beyond help.

So Nyles is on his way to Michigan for two weeks and the Nylander situation that has plagued this team for over a year seems to maybe, possibly, please oh please oh please, be coming to a conclusion. Perhaps.

Dmitry Chesnokov reported that Dynamo Moscow recently passed on Nylander, (who was being shopped over there by his agent, that’s important to note), citing concerns over his game readiness due to a lack of playing time. So there’s a possibility that they didn’t pass so much as require a “tryout” of sorts – either that or another KHL or NHL team has expressed interest but had the same concerns.

Because really, as far as the Caps are concerned he is in exactly the type of shape they need him to be in to sit in the press box. They’re not going to play him, so what good is it to get him conditioning time in the AHL if the cap hit and roster spot remain the same? No good whatsoever.

Unless of course there’s interest and a way to move him down the road. That seems to be the case.

So a few things to keep in mind here. First of all, it’s not a trade – that’s a big one, as is the fact that this move doesn’t involve the Red Wings at all short of borrowing a roster spot from their AHL affiliate. And if you’re entertaining thoughts of yet another Swede in red and white, forget it; the Wings have very little room left under the cap and aren’t likely to make room for Nylander.

Second, as mentioned above Nylander’s salary still counts against the cap and the Caps still have to list him on their 23-man roster. Nyles does not have to clear waivers to go to Grand Rapids, but he did have to agree to go; the fact that he did is another sign that something could be in the works.

At the end of the day this would seem to be Nylander’s last shot at playing meaningful hockey this year. If he performs well he could turn this into a positive for himself – and don’t forget, he’s actually a pretty talented guy who just happens to not fit in with the system in DC. And whether that positive means playing in the NHL or over in the KHL, you’d have to think either is preferable to sitting in the press box night after night.

Of course, I could think of 4.875 million reasons I’d love to have that job, but that’s another story.