(Caps Outsider)
In an otherwise awful 5-1 loss to the Devils on Saturday, the one ‘good’ stat was a goal scored by Jakub Vrana on the power play, where the Caps have been struggling lately. Vrana was moved to the top unit in an effort to change things up, but considering the team also gave up a shorthanded goal and another breakaway shortly before, the experiment wasn’t great.
“I think we create some chances,” Vrana said after the game about the power play. “Obviously there was a goal we got scored on. So one of the things I think we have to clear out a little bit. Other than that we create lots of chances. So now it’s just a matter of time when it will go in again.”
Coach Todd Reirden said that Vrana only got a couple of reps in practice on the first unit power play and the team will continue to work on finding the right combination to get things going again.
It was the second time that Vrana hit the 20-goal mark, but this time he did it in his 46th game of the season, which puts him on pace for about 36 goals this year.
The bridge deal that Vrana signed over the summer for two years, $3.35 million per year is looking mighty worth it, but if he gets does end up with between 60 and 70 points this season and next, there’s no reason to think he would’ve be commanding T.J. Oshie money, if not more. Oshie has a cap hit of $5.75 million a year through 2025 and Vrana, at 23, is significantly younger. With Alex Ovechkin and Nicklas Backstrom each needing to get re-signed soon, the Caps are in for another tight offseason.
