Jakub Vrana on late season struggles: “It’s behind me now.”

It was a familiar scene for Jakub Vrana Friday morning at Giant Center. For the third year in a row, he was packing his hockey equipment in a large red Washington Capitals bag before heading home for the summer. At only 21, Vrana is viewed as the Capitals top prospect, but a tumultuous finish to his second full season as a professional, he finds himself in a tough situation.

Vrana became a healthy scratch for Hershey a few times throughout the year. The scratches seemed to be somewhat of a message sender after a bad game, or series of games, for Vrana. One of them came after an overtime loss to Wilkes-Barre where Vrana seemed to miss his assignment and allow Kevin Porter to score in OT on a breakaway. Another scratch came during the Lehigh Valley series after a lackluster performance in the first three games.

So how does the former first round pick feel about the struggles? “It’s behind me now. I’m always looking forward,” said Vrana.

After game seven against Providence, head coach Troy Mann was asked about Vrana’s performance. “I thought he was okay,” said Mann. “I thought he was average. He has some spurts there; you could see the speed. It was a tough year for him at this level for whatever reason.

“We’re still driving to develop here as much as we are winning. He is a first round pick, so I put him in and maybe he gets a goal or sets up something…Just inconsistent play. Hopefully, he can correct as he moves forward. Maybe it’s in Washington; maybe it’s back here, I’m not sure. He’s the one that’s going to answer that in terms of his play.”

“It was the coach’s feel,” Vrana said about the line-up decisions. “I can do my best. It’s the way the coaches decide. I don’t really know what the answer is for that. Like I said I’m looking forward.”

While the public comments by both Mann and Barry Trotz could be viewed as confidence killers, Vrana’s morale remains high. “I know what kind of player I am. I have my confidence, I know I did my best on the ice in the playoffs. I’m not going to blame it on anything. I know nothing came for easy for me; obviously, I didn’t have any points, and I couldn’t help the team, but that’s how it is sometimes. You have to remain positive and look forward. I have a summer in front of me. I have lots of time to think about it and get better and come stronger next year.”

The lack of a permanent home was tough at times on the Czech Republic native. Four recalls and reassignments between the NHL and AHL this season had him play a total of 77 games among the two leagues. “It’s been tough times of the year when you’re traveling a lot and you try and stick with one team, and you’re with another going up and down. It was a good learning process for me.”

While expectations for Vrana remain high from both Washington and himself, the possibly of seeing Jakub Vrana in an NHL line-up every night will have to wait until October.