Tonight has the potential to be well remembered in recent Capitals history. That’s because this date will be recognized as the start of Jakub Vrana’s NHL career. At 20-years old, the former first-round pick will be the youngest player on the team and the first Capitals selection from the 2014 Draft or later to play in the NHL.
On top of those cool Vrana facts, it’s been since the opening game of the 2014-15 season that Andre Burakovsky became the last Capitals’ first-round pick to make his NHL debut. So please excuse Capitals fans for getting excited about the prospects of watching a highly-talented youngster like Vrana. It has been quite a while since an impact player from within the prospect pool has started his career.
Early Production Equals Future Results?
Like all European prospects, just getting playing time in the top division for their country’s respective league is enough to wow NHL scouts. So even though he recorded just two goals and three points, Vrana would play 24 games for Linkoping in the Swedish Elite League in his draft year. He would play one more season in Sweden, putting up 12 goals and 24 points in 44 games. Vrana then started his AHL career with the Hershey Bears in the Spring of 2015 and went on to record an impressive 25 goals and 55 points in 57 regular season games. Along with that, he racked up 14 points in 21 Calder Cup playoff games in Hershey’s run to the Finals last season.
Vrana then started his AHL career with the Hershey Bears in the Spring of 2015 and went on to record an impressive 25 goals and 55 points in 57 regular season games. Along with that, he racked up 14 points in 21 Calder Cup playoff games in Hershey’s run to the AHL Finals last season.
Considering that Rob Vollman’s scoring translations determined that one point in a typical AHL player’s statistics are equivalent to 0.47 points at the NHL level, Vrana’s career numbers there would have him on pace for five goals and 10 points in the 22 games he would have played if he started the season in Washington. That would have put him fourth on the team in goals and tied with Burakovsky for fifth in points. Clearly, Vrana’s future is not only on the team’s first or second line, but also a role within the team’s power play.
How will this affect the Capitals?
Lars Eller might be back with the Capitals from his upper body injury, but T.J. Oshie is still not returned to the team from his own injury. While Washington has been able to go 3-2-0 without Oshie in the lineup, their two losses to Columbus and Toronto were quite miserable affairs. Both games looked as if the Capitals were outplayed quite comprehensively in all facets and with little to no fight towards the end of the game in return.
While Washington has been able to go 3-2-0 without Oshie in the lineup, their two losses to Columbus and Toronto were quite miserable affairs. Both games looked as if the Capitals were outplayed quite comprehensively in all facets and with little to no fight towards the end of the game in return.
Barry Trotz has certainly put his team through many hard practices during this four-day break and he has changed his line combinations many times throughout the season. There comes a point, however, where he needs to realize what his best team is no matter what the results are. If the lines keep changing, team trust and chemistry will be lost.
It has been discussed already that Washington is struggling to develop the three scoring lines required in today’s NHL without Oshie. Along with that, the power play is struggling to reach their usual high standards of 20% or greater efficiency as they have done the previous four years. If anything, the unit has only managed to convert 15.6% of their opportunities this season. That would put the Capitals as only the 19th-best in the NHL. That is why it makes sense for Vrana to be called up to the team now.
No Sad Times for Sanford
While it is a shame for another rookie in Zach Sanford to be re-assigned to Hershey as a result, his production in his first 21 NHL games just wasn’t good enough. His one point in 19 games and his 48.8% score and venue-adjusted puck possession were among the worst outputs on the team. After he racked up 20 goals and 63 points in 79 games at Boston College before turning professional, Sanford was projected to already have two goals and six points instead, according to Vollman’s translations. At the end of the day, the 21-year old needs to re-develop his confidence and get used to playing well in the professional game. With plenty of Capitals on the final years of their contracts and no certainty of returning, it should not be surprising to see Sanford come back to Washington as a better player.
At the end of the day, the 21-year old needs to re-develop his confidence and get used to playing well in the professional game. With plenty of Capitals on the final years of their contracts and no certainty of returning, it should not be surprising to see Sanford come back to Washington as a better player.
In the meantime, let’s all sit back and watch a highly regarded talent like Vrana enjoy his taste of the NHL with the hopes that he can take it with two hands and never let go.