Jakub Vrana made no mistake on the first shot as a Washington Capitals player again.
Skating on his second shift of the game, Vrana clapped the puck past Golden Knights goaltender Adin Hill to give the Capitals an early 1-0 lead.
“BANG!” yelled Monumental Sports Network’s Joe Beninati as V found the back of the net.
“You know, great forecheck by [Mangiapane],” Vrana said at intermission to Monumental Sports Network’s Al Koken. “At that point, when I saw he had puck on his stick, I just tried to get open and find an opening there. We talk about this before game, if we won pucks on the forecheck, we want to get open in the slot. Fortunately that happened. It was good to go in.”
When Vrana’s goal was announced by Wes Johnson, the call was drowned out by a thunderous cheer from Caps fans.
“It’s awesome,” Vrana said of the fans’ love. “Already feel it in the preseason. I really appreciate their support. They have been really awesome to me and the team. It’s awesome to play in this barn again.”
“It’s awesome,” Vrana said of the fans’ love. “Already feel it in the preseason. I really appreciate their support. They have been really awesome to me and the team. It’s awesome to play in this barn again.”
“I want to be part of this team. I love this team, and it’s great to be back here for the camp and try my best to earn a spot on the team,” the 2018 Stanley Cup champion said. “It means a lot, man. This team means a lot to me.”
Vrana’s first tenure with the Caps flamed out under former Capitals head coach Peter Laviolette as then GM Brian MacLellan sent V to the Detroit Red Wings in exchange for Anthony Mantha. His final game as a Capital before tonight was April 8, 2021.
Shoulder surgery and a well-known stint in the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program led to Vrana playing just 37 games for Detroit in the 2020-21 and 2021-22 seasons combined. Eventually, he landed in St. Louis where, after, scoring 10 goals in his first 20 games for the Blues, he finished his time there with the AHL’s Springfield Thunderbirds.
But as Vrana’s career snaked from the big leagues to the minors, one thing remained a constant: his support from Caps fans.
One game in, he’s already making up for lost time.
