Updated 4x at 4:34 PM: Jakub Vrana met with the media earlier this morning, and here’s his Zoom call:
Jakub Vrana addressing the media: “Everyone from day one was very kind and helped me fit in. This team has great potential and a bright future, I am really happy to join this group.” #LGRW @DetroitRedWings
— Daniella Bruce (@daniellabruce_) August 11, 2021
Vrana adds that having Filip Zadina and Filip Hronek (also Czech) has helped him make the transition. #LGRW @DetroitRedWings
— Daniella Bruce (@daniellabruce_) August 11, 2021
Jakub Vrana on media call just now: “The opportunity to play for the Red Wings is a lot different than in Washington. I get more ice time. My role has changed a little bit, and I’m looking forward just to prove what I can do and show my potential.”
— Nick Cotsonika (@cotsonika) August 11, 2021
Update: Here’s a bit more from NHL.com’s Nicholas J. Cotsonika:
“Obviously, it was kind of a process, but I’m happy it works for both sides,” Vrana said. “I’m happy that it’s over with and I can move forward for preparing for the season.”
Vrana scored 36 points (19 goals, 17 assists) in 50 games for the Red Wings and Washington Capitals last season, including 11 points (eight goals, three assists) in 11 games after he was traded to Detroit on April 12 for forward Anthony Mantha.
Vrana scored four goals in a 7-3 win against the Dallas Stars on April 22, his fourth game with the Red Wings.
“The opportunity to play for the Red Wings is a lot different than in Washington,” he said. “I get more ice time. My role has changed a little bit, and I’m looking forward just to prove what I can do and show my potential. … When you go through something like that (trade), you don’t really know what to expect. Everything went kind of quick, and since Day 1, everyone really kind and helped me to fit in. I just went there and finished the season and tried to show what I can do, and obviously this team has a great potential and a bright future. Like I said before, I’m really happy to join this group.”
Update #2: Here’s more from Detroit Hockey Now’s Bob Duff:
A bonus for him upon arrival in the Motor City was the presence of Czech compatriots Filip Zadina and Filip Hronek.
As much as he was welcomed and embraced by the entire organization, there’s something about joining people with similar life experiences. Hronek (23), Zadina (21) and Vrana (25) are all around the same age. They’ve shared common traits. They come from similar hockey backgrounds and have taken the same journey through the development process.
They’re able to reminisce and engage in conversation about their homeland that no one else on the team would be able to fully comprehend, everything from food to pop culture. Away from the rink, they can communicate in their native tongue.
“It’s always good to have somebody from your country on the team,” Vrana said. “You can speak their language and those guys I played with them on the national team, so I’ve been in touch with them before the trade and they are both great persons. They have made the transition easier for me.”
It’s a comforting sensation for all of them. And it can potentially make all of them more effective players on the ice.
The Russian Five were magical for a Red Wings dynasty of the different generation. Could the Czech trio help lead the Wings back from the hockey hinterlands to once again occupy a place of NHL prominence.
“The chemistry can be there with your countrymen,” Vrana admitted. “They’re both young guys, they have great potential. I’m looking forward to play with them in the coming years.”
Update #3: Here’s even more from MLive’s Ansar Khan:
Jakub Vrana provided a brief glimpse of his enticing skills after joining the Detroit Red Wings late last season and looks forward to showing more in the coming years.
“The opportunity to play for the Red Wings is a lot different than in Washington — I get more ice time, my role has changed a little bit,” Vrana said. “I’m looking forward to proving what I can do and show my potential.”
…
The Czech native spoke with the media Wednesday from Sweden, where he is training with coaches from his former team, Linkoping. He praised the line of communication he has had with Blashill.
“We have been honest with each other,” Vrana said. “I’m trying to get better as a player, work on little things I can do better. We had a lot of meetings. We have been sitting down together talking about stuff. I felt confident to be open myself and talk about stuff. We had a good talk and I’m looking forward to working with him in the future.”
Incoming assistant coach Alex Tanguay will try to boost a power play that has struggled for several seasons. Vrana will play a more prominent role than he had in Washington, where he notched only six power-play goals in 284 games.
“From his experience, from his hockey career, I’m looking forward to working with him,” Vrana said.
Update #4: And here are some final stories from the Detroit News’s Ted Kulfan…
“For me, the opportunity to play for the Red Wings is a lot different than in Washington,” said Vrana, who is training with his junior coaches in Sweden preparing for next season. “I get more ice time, my role has changed a little bit. I’m looking to prove what I can do and show my potential.”
Never having been traded before, Vrana didn’t know what to expect. But the transition to the Red Wings was seamless.
“Everything went kind of quick and since day one everyone was real kind and happy to fit (me) in,” Vrana said. “I just went there and finished the season and tried to show what I can do. This team has great potential and a bright future and I’m really happy to join this group.”
There was speculation in Washington that Vrana and Capitals coach Peter Laviolette didn’t see eye to eye, and Vrana was a healthy scratch before being traded to the Wings. Since arriving in Detroit, Vrana has enjoyed dealing with coach Jeff Blashill.
“We have been honest with each other,” Vrana said. “I’m trying to get better as a player and work on the little things out there I can do better. We had a lot of meetings, sitting down and talking about stuff and I feel comfortable to open myself and talk about stuff. I’m looking forward to work with him in the future.”
And DetroitRedWings.com’s Josh Berenter:
Vrana finished the 2020-21 season with 36 points in 50 games, including 11 points in 11 games with the Red Wings. He tied for sixth in the NHL with seven game-winning goals, three of which came in his 11-game stint with Detroit.
After the season, the winger represented his country in the 2021 IIHF World Championship in Latvia, helping lead Team Czech Republic to the quarterfinals with four points in seven games.
This summer, Vrana has been honing his craft in Sweden, training with the same coach he’s worked with since he was 15 years old. The young Czech said he’s working on little things to fine-tune his game, and he can’t wait to prove the Red Wings made the right decision in signing him to a multi-year contract.
“There is always something to work on. I work on the little things,” Vrana said about his offseason training. “For me, the opportunity to play for the Red Wings is a little different than in Washington. I get more ice time. My role has changed a little bit and I’m looking forward to proving what I can do and show my potential. I’m looking forward to building something.”
