Stanley Cup Champion Leaves NHL to Begin Next Chapter in Career

The NHL offseason has seen its fair share of players headed overseas in the hopes of continuing their NHL career, and the European and Asian clubs who decide to sign these players often find a great gem to bring a new dynamic to their team; a former NHLer.

Sweden is no stranger to having former NHL players as well as a litany of current superstars and while they are often overlooked in favor of Canada, and the US, but are still a powerhouse who can't be ignored.

So their pro league just got a huge boost by adding a former Stanley Cup winner to their ranks, as it was announced that former Washington Capitals first round pick Jakub Vrana has signed with Linkoping of the SEL.

Vrana returns where it all began, as he played for Linkoping from 2011-2015 as part of their junior squad as well as with the men's team.

After a solid career overseas, he was drafted 13th overall by the Capitals in 2014, making his debut in 2016-17. For his career he registered 223 points in 406 games (119 goals, 104 assists) and won a Stanley Cup with the Caps in 2017-18.

His best season came in 2019-20 where he had 52 points (27 goals, 25 assists) but he struggled with Nashville last season, only scoring 3 points in 13 games (2 goals, 1 assists).

It may be a stepping stone for Vrana to return to the NHL at some point, and maybe felt like being closer to home is best; and there is no doubt he will be able to come in and be a great treat for fans who have followed him since the start.