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Capitals PTO Forward Down to Last Chance

A reunion might not be in the books for the Washington Capitals if their PTO forward can't impress in his last chance.

Nick Horwat

Mar 28, 2021; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Capitals left wing Jakub Vrana (13) skates with the puck against the New York Rangers during the second period at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Scott Taetsch-Imagn Images
Mar 28, 2021; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Capitals left wing Jakub Vrana (13) skates with the puck against the New York Rangers during the second period at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Scott Taetsch-Imagn Images / Scott Taetsch-Imagn Images
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Jakub Vrana won the Stanley Cup with the Washington Capitals in 2018 and spent a little over five years in their NHL lineup. Since being traded to the Detroit Red Wings in 2021, Vrana hasn’t had the same success he saw with the Capitals.

After a few years away from Washington, the Capitals opened their 2024 training camp with Vrana back in the fold, but they aren’t ready to put him back in the lineup. The Capitals signed Vrana to a professional tryout contract (PTO) hoping he can earn his spot.

Vrana is battling with a few other Capitals roster hopefuls, and according to head coach Spencer Carbery, no one is stepping up the way he’d hoped.

The Hockey News’ Sammi Silber relays Carbery’s words ahead of their third preseason contest.

"I’ll be totally honest with you,” Carbery said. “There hasn’t been a lot of separation thus far through camp.”

The Capitals have opened their preseason slate 0-2 and Vrana was a minus-3 in the opener.

“I know there are six preseason games and we’re two in, but it’s starting to get to the point where you can see those last two games being very close to our opening night lineup,” Carbery said. “You’re running out of bullets in the chamber."

With a few preseason games and about two weeks until the start of the regular season, Carbery wants someone to break away from the pack and earn their role in the lineup.

“I haven’t seen is someone take the bull by the horns and own that spot and go 'Holy,'"

Vrana might only have one chance left to make an impact on the Capitals and complete his return to the team he became a champion with. Carbery was very clear that it’s up to Vrana take advantage of one last opportunity.

"We’re going to need him to do something significant tonight,” Carbery said. “"He’s got to be around the puck, he’s got to have o-zone shifts. He can’t be spending 75 percent of his shifts in the defensive zone and us walk out of the game and go. 'Wow Vrana, that’s not gonna cut it.'”

At 28 years old, Vrana has played in 367 career games at the NHL level with 110 goals and 99 assists for 209 total points. His career year came in his final full season in Washington when he put up 25 goals and 27 assists for 52 points in 69 games played in 2019-20.

Vrana will need to find whatever brought him that kind of success to make his way back to the Capitals lineup, and he’ll need to do it quick.

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Nick Horwat

NICK HORWAT

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