Host Czechia has finally confirmed an NHL player will be joining its pre-tournament camp ahead of the IIHF World Championship. However, it’s not clear if that player will make the team. Jakub Vrána, who split this season between the St. Louis Blues and the AHL Springfield Thunderbirds, has been extended an invitation.
“Together with the coaches, we agreed that Vrána deserves a chance to fight for a place in the lineup at the World Championship,” Czech national team GM Petr Nedvěd said according to hokej.cz. “We wanted him to be involved in the preparation as soon as possible, so during the week I found out when he could realistically travel. He played his last game in the AHL on Saturday night. After that, we talked and he also showed great interest in arriving as soon as possible.”
Not too long ago, Vrána was a solid NHLer – recording 52 points in 69 games for the Washington Capitals in 2019-20 – and regularly represented his home country in the World Championships. However, the last three seasons have been marred by injuries, declining play and a spell in the NHL’s Player Assistance Program.
Over that time, he has played just 67 NHL games and this past season played twice as many games in the AHL as in the NHL, tallying just six points in 21 games with the Blues. But still just 28 years of age, Vrána potentially has a lot of top-level hockey left in him and seems willing to earn his spot.
“I have two games in Slovakia ahead of me. If I show myself in a good light, I believe I will get a chance next week in the three games in Brno,” Vrána said, referring to the Czechs’ upcoming pre-tournament schedule. “Now it’s just up to me to show that I still have what it takes to represent the Czech Republic at the World Cup.”
Vrána is the first player with any NHL games this season to join the team and the second who played in North America after 21-year-old defenseman David Špaček, a Minnesota Wild prospect who played in the AHL.
However, a few ex-NHLers are in camp, including defensemen Andrej Šustr and Michal Kempný and forward Roman Červenka.