ARLINGTON, VA — The Washington Capitals welcomed a sea of new players to Training Camp on Thursday, but for Jakub Vrana, the day felt like coming home. A first-round pick by the Caps in 2014, Vrana played five seasons in Washington, winning the Stanley Cup in 2018 before the team dealt him to the Detroit Red Wings in 2021.
After signing a PTO with the Capitals this summer, Vrana is skating with the Capitals once again. He knows his place on the roster is far from assured, but he’s determined to re-join a team that’s still close to his heart.
“I want to be part of this team. I love this team and it’s great to be back here for the camp and try my best to earn a spot on the team,” he said Thursday, later adding, “It means a lot, man. This team means a lot to me.”
Vrana’s road back to DC has been far from easy. He missed several months of the 2021-22 campaign to a shoulder injury and played just two games for the Red Wings that season before entering the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program. Even once he exited the program, Vrana struggled to return to his former form and has since played primarily in the AHL for the Grand Rapids Griffins and the Springfield Thunderbirds.
“It was difficult, man,” he admitted. “I had to deal with some stuff off the ice too, so things have been difficult for me, but right now everything is fine. Everything is where it should be and yeah, I’m here and I’m here to prove that I can play.”
Vrana is far from the only one excited about his return to DC. While few players are still around from his last stint on the Capitals, those who have played with him before were thrilled to skate alongside him after years apart.
“[I’m] really excited,” said John Carlson. “I missed him. He’s one of my favorite young guys from over the years. He looks great. He looks fantastic out there, so I’m excited. I think he’s chomping at the bit to get another chance and I think he’s ready to make the most of it.”
“For who he is, that’s how he’s earned that– to be able to come back to a team and be so liked by the fans and by the teammates, I mean, he’s earned that,” added Tom Wilson. “He was such a big part of what we did for this organization for a bunch of years. But everyone you talk to, you want to root for him. He’s such a good kid.”
Wilson, now in a leadership role on the team, highlighted Vrana’s growth in recent years as he’s fought his way back to DC.
“Everybody battles their demons in life,” he said. “And there’s some ups and downs. And I think he’s– from talking to him, he’s taken accountability. He’s taken ownership on that. He wants to be better. And he wants to be happy and find his groove. So I think it’s been great seeing him. And he’s a guy that you root for and a guy that I’ll play with any day of the week. It was fun playing together for a long time. And it’s exciting to see him back here. So hopefully he makes some noise. And there’s going to be some good competition for a couple of spots. And yeah, I’m hoping– I’m wishing him luck.”
Alex Ovechkin had a particularly close bond with Vrana during his days in DC, forming a friendship that featured the likes of puck-stealing pranks and biting each other as a pregame ritual. Ovechkin saw firsthand how hard the trade away from Washington hit Vrana and continues to root for him as he attempts a comeback this fall.
“When that trade happened, of course, he was upset a little bit because he was part of the team who we had success,” he said. “But he have ups and downs and I’m pretty sure right now he’s motivated to bounce back and play hard and do smart things.”
Vrana, meanwhile, saw little difference between the Ovechkin he once played with and the 39-year-old captain today.
“Not much change there, man,” he said with a grin. “He’s still the same. He’s great. He’s still the same and, you know, we have a good laugh here and there and it’s definitely great to see him.”
More than a decade after the Capitals drafted him, Vrana’s relationships in Washington have held strong even beyond his former teammates’ playing days: he told reporters that he still shares a laugh with Braden Holtby and Brooks Orpik — both now on Washington’s’ development staff — when he sees them around the team’s facilities.
“I think if you win Stanley Cup with someone, I think it’s always — I would say the team always kind of stuck together,” he said, adding, “You can tell there’s something special.”
For an organization that’s undergone significant turnover even in the last three months, Vrana’s return brings back memories that are quickly slipping away. When Vrana played his last game for the Capitals, nine players from the 2018 Cup-winning team remained on the roster. Only six played for the Capitals last season. And after TJ Oshie’s back injuries forced him to step away from the game, just three others remain.
Six years have taken their toll on the Capitals, scattering players far and wide. But this time, one of those players just might come back.
“It feels like old times having him around,” Wilson said. “He’s– you go through a special thing together and win a championship. And you have a bond for life. And just seeing him walk in the first day, it was a really cool feeling.”
Plenty has changed since a 22-year-old Vrana hoisted the Stanley Cup on that fateful day in Vegas. With a potential reunion now within reach, his roots in the District remain as strong as ever.
“Things happened to me, but, Washington is always going to be in my heart and I always wanted to play here,” he said. “Like I said before, this chance means a lot to me. Things happened over the past few years, but I already put that behind me and I’m ready to see this as a new opportunity to bounce back.”
