Washington – Hockey forward Jakub Vrána passed the test at Washington’s training camp and after three and a half years is returning to the club with which he won the Stanley Cup in 2018. According to overseas media, the 28-year-old Czech player signed a one-year contract with the Capitals for $775,000 (almost 18 million crowns).
“He had a great attitude. He worked extremely hard, camp went well for him. I’m proud of him for the way he fought,” Washington coach Spencer Carbery was quoted as saying by The Hockey News.
Vrána spent his most successful season in the NHL in the Capitals jersey. In 2014, Washington drafted him in the first round as the thirteenth player in the order, and in the 2016/17 season he debuted in the competition in his jersey. In the following year, Vrána helped the team win the Stanley Cup for the only time so far.
In 2021, the Czech forward was traded to Detroit and later to St. Louis, where he experienced a not very successful period. He played 21 games for the Blues last season, scoring two goals and adding four assists. He added another 42 games with a balance of 16 goals and 20 assists on a farm in the lower AHL.
The 2022 World Cup bronze medalist took a break from the NHL two years ago to join the NHLPA’s competition and players’ association assistance program, which helps hockey players and their families with mental health issues, addictions and other issues.
So far in the NHL, Vrána has played 367 games and recorded 110 goals and 99 assists. In the playoffs, he added 38 starts and eight points (3+5).
Patera moved back to Vancouver, Škarek, Rousek and Jeník to the farm
Goalkeeper Jiří Patera, whom Boston placed on the free agent list on Sunday, moved back to Vancouver after a few days. Goalkeeper Jakub Škarek from the New York Islanders and forwards Lukáš Rousek from Buffalo and Jan Jeník from Ottawa, who their clubs also had to offer to others, moved to farms in the AHL. Club websites informed about it.
The 25-year-old Patera was acquired by Boston on Wednesday from the list of unprotected players, where he had previously been placed by Vancouver. But on Sunday, the Bruins agreed on a new eight-year, $66 million contract with American goalkeeper Jeremy Swayman and wanted to send Patera to Providence.
Instead, he was taken back by Vancouver, with whom he signed a two-year, two-way contract as an unrestricted free agent on July 1. The protégé of Slavia Prague, who caught eight games in the Vegas jersey over the past two seasons in the NHL, will be in the reserve team in Abbotsford.
A year younger, Škarek moved to Bridgeport, where he worked in the previous five seasons. The native of Jihlava, whom the Islanders drafted in the 3rd round in 2018 in the 72nd place, is still waiting for his chance in the NHL.
The 25-year-old Rousek was with Buffalo in Europe, but he did not start in the preliminary game in Munich against EHC Red Bull there, nor in one of the two games in Prague at the start of the regular season against New Jersey. The Sabers sent him to Rochester, where he spent most of the past three seasons after coming from Sparta Prague. In the last two seasons in the NHL, he has 17 games and four points for a goal and three assists.
The 24-year-old Jeník was acquired by Ottawa in July from Utah, where the entire Arizona team moved. He played 22 games for the Coyotes over four seasons and collected 22 points on four goals and two assists. He will fight for another chance in the NHL in Belleville.
In addition to this quartet, there are 27 Czech hockey players in the squads of NHL teams, who are ready to intervene in the game from the beginning of the season. Among them, striker Ivan Ivan from Colorado is waiting for the premiere. Another potential debutant in the Montreal squad was goalkeeper Jakub Dobeš, but he is moving to a farm in Laval.
Goalkeeper Tomáš Suchánek remains in the Anaheim team, who is on the sidelines and will miss most of the season after surgery on his right knee. In St. Louis is fullback Adam Jiříček, who was selected by the Blues in the first round of the draft this year in the 16th position and is recovering from a knee injury from the World Twenty20 in Gothenburg in December. After rehabilitation, he should play in the junior OHL for Brantford.
Forward Jakub Vrána, who won the Stanley Cup with the Capitals in 2018, passed the test in Washington. Defender Jakub Zbořil is on trial in New Jersey.
Other Czech players are in the AHL. Forwards Marek Alscher and Mikuláš Hovorka went there from defending Stanley Cup champion Florida to Charlotte Checkers, forward Jaroslav Chmelař from Ottawa to Belleville, forward Jaroslav Chmelař from Ottawa to Belleville, New York Rangers to Hartford, and forward Gabriel Szturc to Tampa Bay to Syracuse.
From Detroit, forward Jakub Rychlovský and Ondřej Becher, who is rehabilitating his ankle, and who does not yet have a contract with the Red Wings after this year’s draft, moved to Grand Rapids, and goalkeeper Jan Bednář, who has a contract for the AHL, moved to Toledo. Just like the goalkeeper Pavel Čajan at the Columbus farm in Cleveland, where the back Stanislav Svozil also moved from the Blue Jackets camp.
Defender David Špaček and forwards Pavel Novák and Adam Raška went to Iowa from Minnesota, and forward Marcel Marcel, who only has a contract for the AHL, went to Rockford from Chicago. In the reserve team of Vegas in Henderson are forwards Jakub Brabenec and Matyáš Šapovaliv, at the Seattle farm in Coachella Valley goalkeeper Aleš Stezka and forward Eduard Šalé.
Forward Martin Frk moved from the Calgary Flames to the Calgary Wranglers, forward Jan Myšák moved from Anaheim to San Diego, and guard Jakub Dvořák moved from Los Angeles to Ontario. Forward Adam Měchura is under contract for the AHL at the Boston farm in Providence.
Other Czechs moved from the training camps to the junior leagues – goalkeeper Jakub Milota from Nashville to Cape Breton to the QMJHL, defensemen Jakub Fibigr from Seattle to Brampton to the OHL, Vojtěch Port from Anaheim to Moose Jaw to the OHL and forwards Maxmilian Curran from Colorado to Tri City to the WHL, Miroslav Holinka from Toronto to the Edmonton Oil Kings to the WHL, Matyáš Melovský from New Jesey to Baie-Comeau to the QMJHL and from St. Louis Adam Jecho to the Edmonton Oil Kings and Jakub Štancl to Kelowna in the WHL.
Overview of Czech players in the squads of NHL clubs:
Eastern Conference:
Atlantic Division:
Boston Bruins: David Pastrňák, Pavel Zacha (both forwards). Farm – Providence Bruins (AHL): Adam Měchura (forward).
Buffalo Sabres: Jiří Kulich (forward). Farm – Rochester Americans (AHL): Lukáš Rousek (forward).
Detroit Red Wings: none. Farm – Grand Rapids Griffins (AHL): Ondřej Becher, Jakub Rychlovský (both forwards). Toledo Walleye (ECHL): Jan Bednář (goalie).
Florida Panthers: Tomas Nosek (forward). Farm – Charlotte Checkers (AHL): Marek Alscher, Mikuláš Hovorka (both defenders).
Montreal Canadiens: none. Farm – Laval Rocket (AHL): Jakub Dobeš (goalkeeper).
Ottawa Senators: none. Farm – Belleville Senators (AHL): Tomáš Hamara (defender), Jan Jeník (forward).
Tampa Bay Lightning: none. Farm – Syracuse Crunch (AHL): Gabriel Szturc (forward).
Toronto Maple Leafs: David Kämpf (forward).
Metropolitan Division:
Carolina Hurricanes: Martin Nečas (forward).
Columbus Blue Jackets: David Jiříček (defender). Farm – Cleveland Monsters (AHL): Pavel Čajan (goalkeeper), Stanislav Svozil (defender).
New Jersey Devils: Ondřej Palat (forward). On trial: Jakub Zbořil (defender).
New York Islanders: none. Farm – Bridgeport Islanders (AHL): Jakub Škarek (goalkeeper).
New York Rangers: Filip Chytil (forward). Farm – Hartford Wolf Pack (AHL): Jaroslav Chmelař (forward).
Philadelphia Flyers: none.
Pittsburgh Penguins: Filip Král (defenseman).
Washington Capitals: Jakub Vrána (forward).
Western Conference:
Central Division:
Colorado Avalanche: Ivan Ivan, Ondřej Pavel (both forwards).
Dallas Stars: Matěj Blümel (forward).
Chicago Blackhawks: Petr Mrázek (goalie). Farm – Rockford IceHogs (AHL): Marcel Marcel (forward).
Minnesota Wild: Jakub Lauko (forward). Farm – Iowa Wild (AHL): David Špaček (defender), Pavel Novák, Adam Raška (both forwards).
Nashville Predators: none.
St. Louis Blues: Radek Faksa (forward). Marodka: Adam Jiříček (defender).
Utah Hockey Club: Karel Vejmelka (goalie).
Winnipeg Jets: none.
Pacific Division:
Anaheim Ducks: Lukáš Dostál (goalie), Radko Gudas (defender). Marodka: Tomáš Suchánek (goalkeeper). Farm – San Diego Gulls (AHL): Jan Myšák (forward).
Calgary Flames: Daniel Vladař (goalie), Adam Klapka (both forwards). Farm – Calgary Wranglers (AHL): Martin Frk (forward).
Edmonton Oilers: none.
Los Angeles Kings: David Rittich (goalie). Farm – Ontario Reign (AHL): Jakub Dvořák (defender).
San Jose Sharks: Vítek Vaněček (goalkeeper), Jan Rutta (defender).
Seattle Kraken: none. Farm – Coachella Valley Firebirds (AHL): Aleš Stezka (goalkeeper), Eduard Šalé (forward).
Vancouver Canucks: Filip Hronek (defenseman). Farm – Abbotsford Canucks (AHL): Jiří Patera (goalie).
Vegas Golden Knights: Tomas Hertl (forward). Farm – Henderson Silver Knights (AHL): Jakub Brabenec, Matyáš Šapovaliv (both forwards).
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Source: www.ceskenoviny.cz
