Capitals re-sign Vrana to short-term deal
Young forward gets two-year contract, team holds down top off-season priority
The Washington Capitals resigned forward Jakub Vrana to a two-year, US$6.7-million deal Tuesday, securing the team’s foremost restricted free agent and top priority of the off-season. Vrana’s contract will carry an average annual value of $3.35 million.
The 23-year-old is coming off a career season with 24 goals and 23 assists and ranked third on the team in goals.
Despite that success, he tallied zero points in the Capitals’ firstround playoff exit against the Carolina Hurricanes.
The Czech native has established himself as a top-six forward on the team and again will be a restricted free agent in two years when the deal runs out, giving the Capitals an opportunity to extend him to a long-term contract.
“Jakub is a highly skilled player with a tremendous upside and is a big part of our future,” said Caps general manager Brian MacLellan. “We are pleased with his development the past two seasons and are looking forward for him to continue to develop and reach his full potential with our organization.”
The Capitals signed Vrana to a team-friendly deal, which was helped with no arbitration rights and recent comparable deals for restricted free agents Andreas Johnsson and Kasperi Kapanen in Toronto. Also dealing with limited cap space, the Maple Leafs passed on a long-term deal to Kapanen and signed the talented 22-year-old forward to three-year, $9.6-million bridge contract on June 28. Johnsson signed a fouryear, $13.6-million deal.
According to CapFriendly.com, the breakdown of Vrana’s two-year bridge deal includes a $2.7-million base for the 2019-20 season with a $1-million signing bonus. Vrana, who was drafted by the Capitals 13th overall in the 2014 NHL draft, will receive $3 million in base money for the 2020-21 season.
By re-signing Vrana, the Capitals have just shy of $1 million in salary cap space remaining, according to CapFriendly.com. Washington, which signed a trio of bottom-six forwards during free agency in Richard Panik, Brendan Leipsic and Garnet Hathaway, has 13 forwards, six defencemen and two goalies under contract.
Defenceman Christian Djoos and forward Chandler Stephenson, both restricted free agents, remain unsigned after filing for arbitration in early July. Djoos’ scheduled hearing is July 22, while Stephenson’s is Aug. 1, though restricted free agent negotiations usually don’t reach that point.
With so little in cap space, the Capitals will only be able to fit one more player under the salary cap.