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Jakub Vrana came to Detroit at the end of the 20-21 season and disproved my disappointment with the trade that shipped Mantha out east. 8 goals and 3 assists in 11 games. Then, not much consensus on what happened next. He sustained an injury that held him out for months and ultimately played 26 games scoring 13 goals and 6 assists. The separation came the next year and saw waivers and an eventual move to St. Louis. Rumors and speculation aside, what seemed like a huge upside addition fizzled.
Now the 28 year old is returning to his draft team (13th overall in 2014) as a PTO looking to grab a job. There is a myriad of possible outcomes. People change, grow, and he could come in flying and land a spot. Or, well, we know the or. AHL or overseas gig. This is an opportunity that stands firmly in Vrana’s control, and like many I wish him the best possible outcome. Redemption stories are a great part of sports.
Detroit has had its share of homegrown assets not hit. McIsaac has headed overseas, Mantha was traded, Zadina moved on, Svechnikov, Cholowski and so on. From the previous era only 4 players seem to be holding on. Larkin, Rasmussen, Berggren (at this point) and Veleno. Of this group, only Larkin has performed at or above expectations. The now captain eclipsing 30 goals for the past 3 seasons and 4 times overall. The other three seem bottom six destined.
Of those three, Berggren still seems to have the better ceiling in terms of scoring but doesn’t seem to be in line for a top 6 opportunity. Fans still await the announcement of a deal and personal speculation still orbits around a trade package that fell through. Only the people in the offices of New York and Detroit know that one for sure.
A bevy of articles continue to float about disappointment/malaise regarding the altered lineup for the season. A similar set are reflected in the comments section. This is still a team I’d like to see on the ice. Raymond will be under pressure to produce with an assumption significant boost. Debrincat certainly wants to eclipse 30 goals again, Edvinsson’s “tryout” last year has led to a roster spot and Seider (who along with Raymond still aren’t locked down) will lead the blue line again. Losses of Gostisbehere, Perron and Sprong are lamented within the fan base (particularly on the power play with the first two).
In truth, I hold out some hope that a deal is being pursued to address defensive deficiencies along with a curiosity regarding players like Mazur, Kasper and Danielson in the preseason. It’s been a standstill for a while and we’re halfway through August without ink on paper for 3 RFAs. Not a “panic” to any degree, just a degree of curiosity to be sure.
So, let me know your thoughts. As always, thanks to those who stop by and keep this page going. Do you think Vrana will see a return to form or is this a bit of a punt that may likely lead to a career overseas for the foreseeable future?
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