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Vrana Wasn’t Initially Enthralled About Move to Red Wings

While he clearly is loving his time now with the Red Wings, according to his longtime youth coach, Jakub Vrana wasn’t originally enamored by the idea of moving to Detroit

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Jakub Vrana, Detroit Red Wings
Jakub Vrana was originally taken aback by the thought of leaving Washington for the Red Wings.

Jakub Vrana has proven to be a goal-scoring machine since coming to the Detroit Red Wings in a 2021 NHL trade deadline deal with the Washington Capitals. He’s quickly developed into a fan favorite.

Originally, though, Vrana didn’t think that leaving Washington for Detroit was a capital idea. According to his longtime youth coach Zbynek Zvadil, Jakub Vrana was initially quite sour about the idea.

Speaking to Czech news service idnes.cz, Zvadil told a tale that gave indications that it wasn’t love at first sight when Vrana made the move into the Red Wings lineup.

“He didn’t count on it at all, but it just happened,” Zvadil said of the trade. “He was a little mad about it.

Coming to the Red Wings certainly is proving to be a boon to Vrana in terms of hockey opportunities. He’s scored 21 goals and collected 30 points in 37 games with Detroit. However, the Motor Ciy and Vrana weren’t an immediate love connection.

“Washington is a nice city and Detroit has taken it away due to the fall of the car industry,” Zvadil explained. “He loved Washington, (the city) got along with him.”

Vrana Came To Love Red Wings

Once things began clicking for him between the boards, Vrana came to love all that Detroit was offering him.

“In Detroit, it’s going to be the other way around on the ice,” Zvadil said. “He’s playing in the front line, going to (the) power play. They put together a new team. If he gets space, he will score a lot.”

Currently playing for Czechia in the IIHF World Championship – they play Canada in Saturday’s semifinals – Vrana is also reuniting with good friend and contemporary David Pastrnak of the Boston Bruins. Given the chance to play a full season in a Red Wings uniform, Zvadil believes that Vrana can impact Detroit in the same manner that NHL All-Star and 2019-20 Rocket Richard Trophy winner Pastrnak is a dominant performer for the Bruins.

Vrana missed most of the 2021-22 NHL season after undergoing shoulder surgery in training camp.

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“Even when he was on the (AHL) farm (of the Capitals), I said he would be a star of the NHL,” Zvadil said, setting high expectations for Vrana once he gets a full season under his belt in Detroit.

“In terms of points for ice time, it is around 80 to 90 points per season,” Zvadil predicted. “He can definitely score 40 goals when he gets the space, around 18 minutes and especially power play. Then he can score 50 goals. I am 100 percent convinced of that.”