Former NHL 25-Goal Scorer Taking His Talents Overseas

A former first-round pick of the Washington Capitals (13th overall, 2014 NHL Draft), Czech forward Jakub Vrana became a legit scorer by his third season with the team, with 24 goals, and finding the net 25 times a year later.

But injuries and a stint in the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program all derailed his career after that, and Vrana has received little opportunity in recent seasons to show that he could still light the lamp.

He would get no bites in free agency this summer, and now, according to Expressen, has decided to head overseas, back to his old club Linköping HC of the SHL in Sweden.

The 29-year-old first made his mark in hockey with Linköping, first as a junior and then with the SHL club. He spent some time in the AHL upon his arrival in North America, where he began to flash his goal-scoring prowess with the Hershey Bears.

He went on to be a regular contributor for the Capitals for a few seasons, including helping them to a Stanley Cup triumph in 2018. He recorded eight points and a +5 rating in that playoff run.

Expressen reports that several sources tell them that there is an agreement in place for Vrana to return to his old Swedish team this year, likely to be announced this coming week, and that "It will take a radical change for him not to play in Linköping this season."

Overall, in 406 NHL games in nine seasons, Vrana recorded 119 goals and 223 points with a +21 rating, in 13:31 minutes average TOI per game.