Former Capital Jakub Vrana rejoined the Detroit Red Wings on Friday morning.
Vrana took part in the team’s practice, wearing a blue non-contact jersey. The news was reported by Michigan Live’s Ansar Khan.
By Ian Oland 10 months ago
Jakub Vrana missed the Detroit Red Wings’ morning skate on Monday and their game later that night for personal reasons. He hasn’t returned to the team since.
Wednesday, the NHL announced why. He’s entered the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program.
By Ian Oland 11 months ago
Jakub Vrana was not on the ice for the Detroit Red Wings’ morning skate on Monday.
The Red Wings later announced that the Czech forward would be unavailable for their game against the Los Angeles Kings due to personal reasons.
By Chris Cerullo 12 months ago
The Detroit Red Wings took on the New Jersey Devils on Saturday. The matchup pitted two young and upcoming Eastern Conference teams against each other.
In the game within the game, it also saw Jakub Vrana take on close friend Vitek Vanecek — two close friends who grew up in the Capitals’ organization together and work out together over the summers. Vanecek was making his Devils’ debut after being traded by the Capitals over the offseason.
V scored early in the second period on VV, beating the Czech netminder short side over the shoulder.
By Ian Oland 12 months ago
Former Capitals players Jakub Vrana and Vitek Vanecek grew to be close friends during their time together in Washington. The bond started at the 2014 rookie camp where Vrana helped translate the entirety of Vanecek’s first ever media availability with the team.
The two Czech 2014 Caps draftees spent nearly seven years together, but eventually parted ways when Vrana was dealt to Detroit Red Wings at the 2021 Trade deadline. On Saturday, they reunited in their native Czechia to celebrate HC Letci Letnany’s 20th anniversary.
By Chris Cerullo 1 year ago
DC Sports were on top of the world for a year after being seemingly cursed for decades.
There was the Summer of Leonsis, which began in June 2018 with the Capitals winning the Stanley Cup. Then two more Monumental Sports & Entertainment franchises won: the Washington Valor became Arena Bowl champions in late July and the Washington Mystics won the WNBA title in September. The next fall the Washington Nationals improbably went on to win the World Series featuring big performances by Juan Soto, Max Scherzer, Trea Turner, Howie Kendrick, Anthony Rendon, and Ryan Zimmerman.
The Nationals celebrated their World Series title at Capital One Arena with the Capitals days later on November 3, 2019. Jakub Vrana scored a hat trick that night. After the game, Nationals players came down onto the ice and many tried out hockey for the first time — some nearly injuring themselves.
Soto, the Nationals’ budding superstar, found the hero from the game, Vrana, and the team’s legendary goaltender, Braden Holtby, for an iconic photo.
Now, less than three years later, all of these players no longer play in DC.
The Washington Capitals defeated the Vegas Golden Knights four games to one to win the Stanley Cup four years ago this week.
Since then, the Capitals have not won a playoff series since, getting first-rounded four consecutive times. While the Caps’ core and identity have largely stayed the same, the 2018 team’s supporting cast has moved on. Only nine of those 27 players are still on the team while two others, Shane Gersich and Pheonix Copley, remain in the organization.
Some key members of the 2018 championship team have flourished elsewhere. Others have wound down their careers or retired in different organizations or leagues.
By Ian Oland 1 year ago
Jakub Vrana scored twice in the Detroit Red Wings’ 4-3 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning, Tuesday.
“I try to create as much offense as possible here and give the team a chance to win,” Vrana said.
The two goals gave Vrana a tie for a franchise record that’s been held for 48 years.
Jakub Vrana said before his season debut that he was going to keep things simple as he made his way back into game shape. Two games into his return, Vrana has three goals for the Red Wings.
Thursday, against the Wild, Vrana scored twice, including a highlight-reel goal that will likely go down as his best this season.
Jakub Vrana and Anthony Mantha were the major pieces in a deal between the Washington Capitals and Detroit Red Wings at last season’s trade deadline. The deal was remarkably even. Both players are about the same age (Vrana, 26; Mantha, 27), of the same skill (Vrana, 169 points; Mantha, 209 points), and make nearly the same amount per season (Vrana, $5.25M; Mantha, $5.7M).
Their mirror-like careers have continued on the same trajectory during the 2021-22 season. Both Vrana and Mantha missed huge swaths of time due to major shoulder injuries – Jake in September and Mantha in November. They both returned to game action in early March. And on Tuesday, they scored their first goals on the same night since undergoing surgery.
