Speedy Vrana could be the Capitals’ X-factor
But he needs to be given a shot by a coach with a reputation for mistrusting youth
At the end of recent Washington Capitals practices, Jakub Vrana has remained on the ice after most of his teammates have glided off. His opportunities in games have dwindled. Vrana has tried to stay ready for when they do come, sometimes taking nearly half an hour of extra repetitions.
“Just stay sharp,” Vrana said. “Just feel the puck.”
Vrana unveiled the product of his work Sunday at Capital One Arena, scoring his first career National Hockey League playoff goal in Washington’s 4-1, seriesevening victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins. Vrana’s powerplay score, which served ultimately as the game-winner, underscored his potential importance in the second-round series.
Vrana has seen his role joggled and found himself frequently confined to the bench during the playoffs. But when he plays, the 22-year-old rookie has shown the facility to be the kind of skilled, speedy and sneaky threat that has so often spoiled the Capitals’ spring.
As the Penguins have tormented and eliminated the Capitals in recent playoff meetings, the emergence of fast, young players has been a crucial factor. Bryan Rust, Conor Sheary and Jake Guentzel have all taken turns providing an element Washington sorely lacked: an injection of skill and energy, a homegrown goal-scoring threat.
Now, in Vrana, the Capitals may have one of their own, finally, with which to torment the Penguins. Could Vrana be the Capitals’ version of the X-factor the Penguins have so often found?
“Yeah. I think we need him to be,” said Capitals centre Lars Eller, who assisted on Vrana’s goal. “We need guys coming a little bit out of nowhere and being like Guentzel was for them last year, like Rust and Sheary have been in the past. You need guys to step up and play maybe a little bit better than everybody expects them to do.”
Vrana, the 13th pick of the 2014 draft, is the jewel of a thin crop of forwards in the Capitals’ player development system, a crafty stick handler and passer with a knack for scoring. But Vrana has to climb over the boards to make an impact, and that has not been a given these playoffs.
Washington coach Barry Trotz has a reputation for mistrusting youth, and he has kept a short leash on Vrana. In the playoffs’ opening game against Columbus, Vrana set up a goal but also surrendered a costly turnover. Trotz scratched Vrana in Game 2 because of “some things we need to clear up in his game and get him reset,” Trotz said at the time.
Andre Burakovsky’s injury forced Vrana back into the lineup for heavy minutes in Game 3, only for Trotz to severely reduce his ice time since. Vrana had been used roughly six minutes per game, his speed and skill tethered to the bench.
“Every game going into it, it doesn’t matter how much time you get,” Vrana said.
“You just come in and control what you can control. If you go on the ice, just leave everything out there, 100 per cent. That’s what I’m doing.”
Vrana’s chance came late in the first period Sunday as part of the second power-play unit with about 20 seconds remaining on the man advantage. In the span of maybe five seconds, Vrana displayed every ounce of his considerable offensive upside, the reason so many howl for his greater inclusion.
Vrana gathered the puck near the corner, flicked a pass to Eller and darted toward the net. Eller tapped it back, a slick give-andgo. Vrana danced around a defender, the puck affixed to his tape, and gave himself an opening in front of the net.
“Just tried to put it high,” Vrana said.
The puck zipped past goalie Matt Murray, and the Capitals had seized a 2-0 lead.
“Huge goal,” Capitals forward Brett Connolly said. “The building was rocking after that. The last little bit, he hasn’t played a lot of minutes. But when he’s called upon, he’s creating, and on the power play. Big goal for him. Big goal for our team. Hopefully he can keep going and contribute any way he can.”
If Vrana’s ice time remains limited, his skill set could make an impact. Vrana scored 13 goals in 73 games during the regular season despite averaging 12:30 per game. His speed, especially against the Penguins, may be essential. “It’s huge,” Eller said. “He’s doing exactly what you can expect him to do. He’s bringing his speed. He’s making plays on his line or on the power play. In a lot of ways, it’s a luxury to have guys like him on the fourth line. That’s what the league is becoming all about — for a lack of better word, not using only ’grinders’ on the fourth line, but having speed and skill there as well. Speed and skill is what wins you the game these days.”
Trotz did not tip his hands as to whether Vrana’s role may grow. “Every game has its own story,” he said. But Vrana played 7:38 in Game 2, his most ice time by a few ticks since his 22-minute explosion against Columbus, which came in double overtime. His goal-scoring performance did nothing to dissuade Trotz from giving him more ice time.
For now, Vrana will continue squeezing in extra time after practice, staying sharp and feeling the puck. He helped even the series, and in Pittsburgh he may be crucial in bringing the series back to Washington tied, at least. This era’s Capitals have never advanced past the second round, but they have never had a player quite like Vrana, either. He is not allowing himself to think about all of that. “We know we have lots of work to do,” Vrana said.