Cup Champion & Former Top-15 Pick Reveals He Will Likely Sign in Sweden Instead of Staying in the NHL

Back in 2014, the Washington Capitals used the No. 13 overall pick on forward Jakub Vrana, and at the time, it appeared to be a fantastic pick with solid production early in his AHL hockey career.

In his first few NHL seasons, Vrana was more than serviceable, helping the Capitals to their 2018 Stanley Cup run, but when that wore off, he struggled to find production in a role anywhere in the NHL.

Now, it appears he's set to depart the league and North America, with recent reports revealing that he's likely headed home to Sweden on his next deal after a lack of interest in the league as a free agent.

According to Puck Empire, Vrana will be joining Linkoping HC, the team he played with before being drafted to the National Hockey League, and while his career in the NHL isn't over, at 29-years of age, he could be set to spend the rest of his career overseas.

In 406 NHL games between Washington, Detroit, St. Louis and Nashville, Vrana tallied 119 goals and 223 points, so while he was still fairly productive, he never quite lived up to the billing as a No. 13 overall pick, meaning he's likely headed home to try and reinvigorate his career.

Ultimately though, there's still time for Vrana to turn things around and make a good career for himself in the NHL, but with the chance at a homecoming and a significant role in Sweden, it's easy to see why he's chosen to depart the NHL for Sweden at this time.