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Washington, we have a problem: Orlov follows Erat’s lead, demands trade

Orlov

For the second time this week, a player is demanding a trade out of Washington.

This time, it’s little-used defenseman Dmitry Orlov, who has been recalled from and reassigned to AHL Hershey five times this past month without playing a single NHL contest.

Now it appears enough is enough, according to player agent Mark Gandler.

“Obviously, what Dmitry would like is to be traded,” Gandler told CSN Washington. “Because he has no future in Washington whatsoever, zero chance for him. I think his value as a player is diminishing with every day and the team is losing valuable time and also ruining his career.

“It’s getting for him increasingly difficult to handle this, emotionally and also physically. He’s coming into Washington knowing he’s not going to get into the game no matter what.”

Orlov, 22, was the 55th overall pick at the 2009 NHL Entry Draft and looked like he was becoming a regular member of the Caps’ blueline after scoring 19 points in 60 games during the 2011-12 campaign.

Instead, things went backwards.

The Russian rearguard saw his playing time diminish during the lockout-shortened ’13 campaign, appearing in just five games, and has spent this season shuttling back and forth between Hershey and Washington, a move that -- according to the Washington Post’s Katie Carrera -- might have an ulterior motive:

The routine indicates the Capitals aren’t inclined to play Orlov, 22, but rather are simply trying to hang on to his rights.

According to a league source with knowledge of the situation, Orlov’s contract contains a clause that would allow him to leave for Russia’s Kontinental Hockey League on Jan. 1, 2014 if he has not been on the active NHL roster for a total of 30 days this season.

Based on the various stints he has had with the Capitals, Orlov has spent 19 days on the active roster so far.

Capitals General Manager George McPhee did not immediately respond to a call seeking comment.

As mentioned, Orlov isn’t the only Capital asking out of Washington. Forward Martin Erat demanded a trade on Monday, saying that it’s “time to move on.”