Jakub Vrana lighting it up with Blues

The Detroit Red Wings entered this season understandably expecting forward Jakub Vrana to be a major part of their offensive attack. However, just two games into the 2022-23 schedule, he entered the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program for an undisclosed issue and was absent for two months. 

Upon being reinstated, he was sent on a conditioning stint with the American Hockey League affiliate Grand Rapids Griffins before being waived. No team picked him up, and he remained within the Red Wings organization. He would eventually be called back up to the big club, but was sparingly used and was mostly a healthy scratch. Detroit made the ultimate decision to part ways with him, sending him to the St. Louis Blues at last week's NHL Trade Deadline in exchange for a 7th round draft pick in 2025 and a career minor league forward. 

And so far, he's made the most of his short time with the Blues. Vrana has scored has four goals in his first five games since the trade, including a pair of tallies last night against the Minnesota Wild.

When asked about the reasoning behind the trade earlier this month, the Red Wings made it clear that it was simply a case of both sides needing to just move on from one another. 

"I don’t think I can really go into details on a lot of the things that have gone on," Yzerman said. "I would just say I wish Jakub the best of luck in his hockey career and on and off the ice. It was just time for both parties to move on."

As you may remember, Vrana immediately made a major impact in offensive production with the Red Wings upon his acquisition in April of 2021 in the trade that sent Anthony Mantha to the Capitals. He won't have to wait long to face his former Red Wings teammates, as they play one another in a home and home series later this month.