PTO: [WSH] F Jakub Vrana + 18 others sign PTO with the Capitals

[Gurglesons]

Pretty wild how this guy’s career has gone. Feel for him.

Caps deserved that cup. But it seems like their partying ways which were cheered on caught up to a lot of the core.

 

[PlushMinus]

Pretty wild how this guy’s career has gone. Feel for him.

Caps deserved that cup. But it seems like their partying ways which were cheered on caught up to a lot of the core.

A lot of the core?? Kuznetsov was already a party animal before the Cup. Vrana - okay, sure.

Anybody else? Cos two players isn't "a lot". I guess Devante Smith-Pelly celebrated by eating too much and gained like 80 pounds, but he wasn't even a core player anyway.

 

[Gurglesons]

A lot of the core?? Kuznetsov was already a party animal before the Cup. Vrana - okay, sure.

Anybody else? Cos two players isn't "a lot". I guess Devante Smith-Pelly celebrated by eating too much and gained like 80 pounds, but he wasn't even a core player anyway.

How many players from that team were out of the league within 5 years..?

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

If you want a guy to give about 50% every night and float around the perimeter with no thought of back checking or even attempting to do anything defensively, he’s your guy

rob blake gave that guy an 8 year deal!

Never underestimate NHL GMs abilities to shoot themselves in the dick

 

[PlushMinus]

How many players from that team were out of the league within 5 years..?

Come on man - now you're moving the goalposts. First it was the suggestion that the Caps partying ways led to players having substance abuse problems that curtailed their careers, and now it's how many of them are no longer playing in the NHL?

(I think you're just bored because it's the offseason )

 

[AlexBrovechkin8]

How many players from that team were out of the league within 5 years..?

Am I understanding correctly that you think the Caps partying for a few weeks that summer led to lasting issues that ruined careers?

 

[FriendlyGhost92]

As recently as 15-20 years ago the team probably would have agreed tbh

I mean it's not 15-20 years ago. They let a lot of other shit go back then, too.

 

[LuGBuG]

Saw him pop up on Instagram and he does not look healthy, at all. He looks like he’s lost a ton of weight and not in a good way. Really sad, hope he can work through his demons.

View attachment 900964

Looks pretty happy here to me.

 

[FriendlyGhost92]

Pretty wild how this guy’s career has gone. Feel for him.

I don't. Dude was seemingly given a path out of his struggles in Detroit and apparently didn't take it seriously considering he was swiftly shown the door when he came back from the PAP.

And before somebody starts in on the "Maybe Detroit just black balled him after he went to rehab" shit, remember Detroit had previously signed Bobby Ryan knowing about his alcohol issues, and he was nothing but good in our locker room.

 

[Hostile Offer]

Pretty wild how this guy’s career has gone. Feel for him.

Caps deserved that cup. But it seems like their partying ways which were cheered on caught up to a lot of the core.

TBH Vrana was the one player I remember watching during those cup finals and thinking "man, how is this guy winning the most prestigious trophy in hockey?" He was bafflingly ignorant towards defense even then. Looks like he never learned to improve in that regard and it caught up to him. It's a shame because he's a very talented player offensively.

 

[Gurglesons]

Am I understanding correctly that you think the Caps partying for a few weeks that summer led to lasting issues that ruined careers?

No, I think a few of the players like shortened their careers because of their partying ways before and after the cup win.

 

[Robtom18]

The risks are well-chronicled - time spent in the player assistance program and just one season in which he's played 82 games (2018-19). Coupled with the fact that he hasn't been an NHL regular since his lone 50+ point season with the Capitals in 2019-20.

On the plus side, he is relatively young at 28 and seemed to rediscover a scoring touch while playing with some physicality with the Blues AHL affiliate in Springfield.

Is his talent worth someone giving him a PTO?

He just never brought his a game day in day out.

 

[cg98]

No, I think a few of the players like shortened their careers because of their partying ways before and after the cup win.

Players come and go all the time on Championship teams regardless of if they party or not. Pro sports at the highest level is hard. Im not sure why this is a surprise to you.

 

[Gurglesons]

Players come and go all the time on Championship teams regardless of if they party or not. Pro sports at the highest level is hard. Im not sure why this is a surprise to you.

Not sure why people are so defensive about this take.

 

[cg98]

Not sure why people are so defensive about this take.

Because its bad lol

 

[Gurglesons]

Because its bad lol

Two players in Vrana and Kuznetsov have had their careers cut tremendously short due to their substance issues.

It was obviously a pattern that affected multiple players on that team. Oshie had his struggles prior to the NHL. Connolly had rumors about him struggling with substance abuse.

Similar to the LA Kings, it seems like there were some people that took the vibe too far and it effected their career.

 

[hockeykicker]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1824098809091170598

 

[AlexBrovechkin8]

Back to Washington, lol.

 

[Mrfenn92]

Good roll of the dice

 

[Nemesis Prime]

 

[John Price]

fan favorite here I like it. 3rd or 4th liner

 

[cg98]

Two players in Vrana and Kuznetsov have had their careers cut tremendously short due to their substance issues.

It was obviously a pattern that affected multiple players on that team. Oshie had his struggles prior to the NHL. Connolly had rumors about him struggling with substance abuse.

Similar to the LA Kings, it seems like there were some people that took the vibe too far and it effected their career.

2 players out of a whole roster of 20+ players is not indicative of the whole rosters playing ability for the years pre & post championship. Thats just your bad opinion that holds no basis for it.

Championship teams have high turnover in the years following the win because the core players have developed, played and matured there for years and only get older. In case you decided to willingly forget, its kind of difficult for any athlete healthy or otherwise to play and produce at a high level when theyre older vs their prime in pro sports. If you ever even decided to look at the numbers instead of blaming players for their personal time off, youd see that the average age of teams who win are older. But that wouldnt fit with your bad narrative so of course you wouldnt.

 

[PenguinSuitedUp]

Because its bad lol

Is it a bad take to suggest that drug/substance abuse might affect someone’s health enough to ruin their athletic career? Because that’s what you’re saying.

It would be a great story if Vrana could return to his original team and find the support he needed to overcome some of the issues he’s faced.

 

[Gurglesons]

2 players out of a whole roster of 20+ players is not indicative of the whole rosters playing ability for the years pre & post championship. Thats just your bad opinion that holds no basis for it.

Championship teams have high turnover in the years following the win because the core players have developed, played and matured there for years and only get older. In case you decided to willingly forget, its kind of difficult for any athlete healthy or otherwise to play and produce at a high level when theyre older vs their prime in pro sports. If you ever even decided to look at the numbers instead of blaming players for their personal time off, youd see that the average age of teams who win are older. But that wouldnt fit with your bad narrative so of course you wouldnt.

Kuznetsov is 32.

Vrana is 28.

Their fall from grace is clearly impacted by other things than age. I'm not really sure why you are arguing this. It's not meant to cheapen or take anything away from the Capitals cup, just much like LA it seems like a culture of partying, etc. caught up to key members of the group that brought them a cup.

 

[cg98]

Is it a bad take to suggest that drug/substance abuse might affect someone’s health enough to ruin their athletic career? Because that’s what you’re saying.

It would be a great story if Vrana could return to his original team and find the support he needed to overcome some of the issues he’s faced.

Theyre insinuating the whole Washington roster has retired or massively declined because they "partied" and somehow 2 guys who had bad habits with substance abuse is indicative of that. Its not even remotely close to what youre saying that theyre saying but I get it. Reading is hard.