The Detroit Red Wings had Jakub Vrana slotted to be a significant part of their offense, but now must look to others to fill the void.
Coach Jeff Blashill delivered the bad news Thursday morning, announcing Vrana will have shoulder surgery that will sideline him a minimum of four months.
“He’s a guy that, going into the season, we had penciled into some big roles with the opportunity to score goals for us,” Blashill said. “Certainly, we’d be in a better spot today as we stand if he were healthy and ready to go. But he’s not and that’s just the reality of life.