EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — Jakub Vrana offered a smile and a thumbs-up. He can’t mobilize his arm quite like necessary to help the Detroit Red Wings, but he feels better than he has in months.
At the suggestion of his boss, general manager Steve Yzerman, Vrana joined the Wings on their trip to California. He has been sidelined since his October shoulder surgery, and though his return is not imminent, being around his teammates is a boost physically and mentally.
“Hockey for me is basically everything, to be honest,” Vrana said after briefly taking the ice following Wings practice Friday. “I have my family and all these guys, but I love playing hockey, I’ve been playing hockey all my life. This is the part with the mental side, where you just have to find a way. I’m really happy to go on the ice, to skate, and now I can shoot a little bit, too. You have to be patient and make sure it’s healed, because if you rush, it could get worse.”
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The target for Vrana’s return is sometime in February, but it depends how his rehab goes. Vrana isn’t worried: Asked about his availability, he answered with determination: “I will be back this season.”
The Wings were counting on Vrana to be a significant part of their offense. but 10 minutes after he stepped on the ice at training camp, where his arrival had been delayed by a visa issue, Vrana left. The next thing that happened was a major operation.
“This injury is hard to describe,” Vrana said. “It’s your labrum. I’ve been dealing with it for at least two years. It’s been kind of bothering me. It got to the point where I couldn’t even shoot, and I need my shot. So we had to do this move. The thing is, when you have this kind of injury, you try to avoid surgery as (long as) possibly you can. This is an injury where it gets to a point where you need surgery, you do it — otherwise you try to stay away from it. This is just what happens.”
Vrana’s absence led to rookie Lucas Raymond getting — and grabbing — the opportunity to play in Vrana’s slot: On a line with Dylan Larkin and Tyler Bertuzzi. Where Vrana will fit when he returns — possibly on a line with Pius Suter and Robby Fabbri — will be worked out when Vrana is able to join practices. But adding a player of Vrana’s caliber is a captivating prospect.
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“He’s just got that ability to score that can be a separator in a lot of games,” coach Jeff Blashill said. “I watched the L.A. game and Nashville didn’t have much going on, but [Filip] Forsberg scores on the power play from outside the dots on a great shot. That’s what shooters do. They kind of turn the tides of games that maybe you don’t totally deserve to win. He brings us that element. You think back to the game against Dallas, he had four goals. He scored, and I don’t mean easy in the sense that he’s not working, but some guys need 10 chances. He’s one of those guys that needs one.”
Vrana, who will turn 26 at the end of February, came to the Wings last April, when Yzerman pulled off a blockbuster just before the trade deadline: He acquired Vrana, forward Richard Panik, a first-round pick in 2021 and a second-round pick in 2022 from the Washington Capitals for Anthony Mantha —who, coincidentally, underwent major shoulder surgery in November. (Yzerman packaged the 2021 pick to move up in the draft and select promising goaltender Sebastian Cossa.) The deal looked better by the day last season as Vrana produced eight goals and three assists in 11 games, and Yzerman signed Vrana to a three-year, $15.75 million deal in August. Just like that, Yzerman had significantly strengthened the rebuild.
For Vrana, it was an opportunity to distance himself from the criticism of him in Washington, where — much like with Mantha in Detroit — there was frustration over his inconsistent engagement. Vrana sounded excited as he evaluated the games he has watched this season, especially regarding Raymond and Moritz Seider.
“They’ve so far played really good,” Vrana said. “This is their first year and they have made a huge impression so far, and it’s just great to see.
“You can see this team is heading in right direction. We have potential. It’s going to come with experience as well. But so far, I’m feeling really good and really confident in this team, that we have big things to do here.”
Vrana has been watching the Wings play for three months, and as the season nears the midpoint, it’s become a mental challenge to stay positive. He started skating a few weeks ago, but since he isn’t part of practices yet, he stayed home when the Wings went on the road. Then Yzerman came to the rescue.
“When you are watching the games, you are feeling like you are out for a long time,” Vrana said. “You start to have little doubts mentally. Steve came to me and talked to me about this, that mentally it can help.
“We talked, and he knows that I’ve been around the team, but I haven’t played. So I haven’t gone on a road trip. He gave me the option and said he thinks it’s a good idea, and I agree with him. I’m just happy to be around the team. It’s a one-week trip, so it’s nice to be a part of it. It makes me definitely feel better.”
Contact Helene St. James at hstjames@freepress.com. Follow her on Twitter @helenestjames. Read more on the Detroit Red Wings and sign up for our Red Wings newsletter. Her book, The Big 50: The Detroit Red Wings is available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Triumph Books. Personalized copies available via her e-mail.