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Jakub Vrana signs two-year, $6.7 million bridge contract with Capitals

By Ian Oland

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July 16, 2019 3:42 pm

You guys, Jakub Vrana has finally re-signed.

The 23-year-old restricted free agent has come to terms with the Washington Capitals, signing a two-year, $6.7 million bridge contract.

The average annual value of the deal is $3.35 million.

“Jakub is a highly skilled player with a tremendous upside and is a big part of our future,” Brian MacLellan said in a release. “We are pleased with his development the past two seasons and are looking forward for him to continue to develop and reach his full potential with our organization.”

The bridge contract will keep Vrana in Washington through the 2020-21 season, making Jake a restricted free agent again in July 2021. The deal works for both parties. It gives the Capitals some negotiating power if they want to sign the Czech winger to a long-term deal that summer (they will still hold his rights as an RFA). It also allows Vrana to demand top dollar if he continues to develop.

Vrana had career highs in goals (24), assists (23) and points (47) last season, spending a majority of the season in the Capitals top six. He’s currently vacationing, likely shirtless, in Marbella, Spain.

According to Micah McCurdy, Vrana’s contract is a “steal”.

The signing now leaves Washington with $935,706 in cap space with two remaining restricted free agents, Christian Djoos and Chandler Stephenson. Both players opted for arbitration and will have their new salaries determined by a judge over the next few weeks.

Welcome back, V.

More from the Capitals:

The Washington Capitals have signed left wing Jakub Vrana to a two-year, $6.7 million contract, senior vice president and general manager Brian MacLellan announced today. Vrana’s contract will carry an average annual value of $3.35 million.

Vrana, 23, set career highs in goals (24), assists (23) and points (47) last season and ranked third on the team in goals. The 6’0″, 197-pound forward was on the ice for 59 goals at five-on-five and 37 goals against, recording the best differential among forwards on the Capitals. The Prague, Czech Republic, native became the 15th player in franchise history to record at least 24 goals in a single season before the age of 24 and the first since Nicklas Backstrom in 2009-10 (33 goals). Additionally, Vrana’s 145 shots at five-on-five ranked second on the Capitals, trailing only Alex Ovechkin for the most five-on-five shots by a Capitals forward in the last three seasons.

In 176 career games, all with the Capitals, Vrana has recorded 80 points (40g, 40a).

Internationally, Vrana represented the Czech Republic at the 2019 IIHF World Championships, his first time playing for the Czech Republic at the senior level, recording five points (4g, 1a) in nine games. Additionally, Vrana represented the Czech Republic at the 2013, 2014 and 2015 World Junior Championships, recording six points (3g, 3a) in 16 games and the 2013 Hlinka Gretzky Cup, recording four points (3g, 1a) in four games en route to earning a bronze medal.

Vrana was drafted by the Capitals in the first round, 13th overall, in the 2014 NHL Draft.

Read more: Vrana comments on his new deal

Headline photo: Elizabeth Kong