Former first-round pick to be a healthy scratch in the AHL for second straight game

According to Ryan Hana of the 'Winged Wheel Podcast', Grand Rapids Griffins forward Jakub Vrana will be a healthy scratch for the second game in a row as the team faces the Iowa Wild on Friday night.

Vrana, 26, was a first-round pick of the Washington Capitals in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft. His season hasn't gone to plan so far and being scratched for the second game in a row in the American Hockey League is starting to bring up a lot of questions from fans.

The Prague native appeared in two games for the Detroit Red Wings to start the season, before entering the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program. Upon exiting the program in mid-December, Vrana began practicing with the Red Wings, before assigning him to Grand Rapids on a conditioning stint.

With a roster spot needing to be opened up for the return of Robby Fabbri, the Red Wings placed Vrana on waivers so they could assign him to Grand Rapids on a permanent basis after his conditioning stint ended. Vrana ended up going unclaimed, in large part due to his salary that many teams couldn't accommodate.

In six games for Grand Rapids, Vrana has one assist, two penalty minutes and is a minus-six. Vrana could potentially return to the Griffins' lineup on Saturday night against the Chicago Wolves.

Jakub Vrana will be scratched for the Grand Rapids Griffins again tonight - second straight game. @griffinshockey #LGRW— Ryan Hana (@RyanHanaWWP) January 13, 2023

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