The Detroit Red Wings placed former Washington Capitals left-wing Jakub Vrana on waivers on Wednesday after the 26-year-old has played just 28 games over his first two full seasons with the team due to shoulder surgery prior to last season and entrance into the NHL/NHLPA’s player assistance program this year.
Vrana is on waivers today
— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) January 3, 2023
Vrana was reinstated by the NHL on December 16 and was assigned to the AHL’s Grand Rapids Griffins recently for a conditioning stint.
Vrana has played just 39 games since arriving at the trade deadline on April 12. 2021, in the deal that sent left-wing Anthony Mantha to Washington. However, over his quick tenure in Detroit, Vrana has scored 22 goals with 32 points.
Vrana has two years left on a contract that counts $5.25 million against the NHL salary cap. If a team claims him, they would have to pay Vrana at just half that amount.
In 284 career games with the Capitals, Vrana has recorded 76 goals, 157 points, and a +36 rating. He set career-highs in goals (25) and points (52) in 69 games during the 2019-20 season. He has no points and a combined -8 rating in 15 Stanley Cup Playoff games over the past two seasons when the Capitals were eliminated in the first round both times after recording three goals and eight points in 23 games during the 2018 tournament.
Capitals GM Brian MacLellan said he saw a “frustrated player” in Vrana in terms of his body language and the team wanted to move on from that. Head coach Peter Laviolette scratched Vrana twice before the Capitals traded him and never seemed to click with the young Czech after the team hired him.
By Harrison Brown