Jakub Vrana now knows his fate!

In the most shocking waiver moves of the 2022-23 season, the Detroit Red Wings placed talented forward Jakub Vrana on waivers on Tuesday.

Vrana has missed the bulk of this season to this point after entering the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program back in October. He played just two games. Since he has exited the program, he returned to the Red Wings’ roster, but reported to the club’s AHL affiliate in Grand Rapids for a three-game conditioning stint.

When he was placed on waivers, fans in Detroit fear they would lose one of their top assets. However, Vrana went unclaimed and will remain on the Detroit’s 23-player roster.

Before he entered the assistance program, Vrana was projected to be one of the Red Wings’ top assets up front. He was the key part in the package for the Anthony Mantha trade to the Washington Capitals. He ended up recording 22 goals and 32 points in 39 games as a Red Wing. After missing most of the 2021-22 season with a shoulder injury, Vrana was expected to be the Red Wings’ top star and fans anticipated his return. It was delayed by his entering the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program, but now we are getting closer to seeing him back in a Red Wings’ uniform.

It is more than likely that Vrana cleared waivers because of his current $5.25 million cap hit for this season and next. The flat salary cap has kept teams from making interesting moves on waivers and on the market.

Vrana will now be allowed to stay in Grand Rapids beyond the 14-day maximum limit for conditioning loans. During his current stint, he has been held off the scoresheet and is a minus-5 through his first three games. The initial plan was to keep him for the loan to only last three games, but Monday the team said it planned to have Vrana instead spend the full two weeks with the Griffins. It seems like a logical move seeing how long he's missed as part of the assistance program.

The forward has mentioned how he does not want to share details about going into the program, and that is completely understandable. You have to wonder if it also played a part in him clearing the waiver wire on Wednesday. 

This could also provide the Red Wings with a starting plan to potentially trade Vrana closer to the March 3rd deadline. While Vrana has cleared waivers today, his future with the club still appears very much in question...

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