Red Wings, Vrana avoid arbitration with 3-year extension

The Detroit Red Wings and restricted free agent Jakub Vrana avoided arbitration while settling on a three-year contract extension, the team announced Tuesday.

Financial terms of the deal weren't disclosed, but it carries an average annual value of $5.25 million, reports Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.

The arbitration hearing was scheduled for Wednesday. Vrana's initial request was for about $5.7 million annually, according to ESPN's Greg Wyshynski.

Detroit acquired Vrana from the Washington Capitals in a blockbuster trade-deadline deal that sent Anthony Mantha the other way. The Red Wings also received Richard Panik, a first-round pick in 2021, and a second-rounder in 2022.

Vrana, 25, is a top-six scoring threat who generates five-on-five chances at an elite rate.

Jakub Vrana, signed 3x$5.2M, is a scoring winger who's been one of the league's most efficient 5v5 snipers since he entered the league. Lethal at creating rush chances for himself and finishing them. #LGRW pic.twitter.com/CtEAMB3eYh

- JFresh (@JFreshHockey) August 10, 2021

The Capitals drafted him 13th overall in 2014, and he won a Stanley Cup with the franchise in 2018. Vrana notched 36 points over 50 games this past season, 11 of which came during his 11 contests with Detroit after the trade.

Forward Adam Erne and defenseman Filip Hronek are Detroit's remaining RFAs. The club holds approximately $20 million in cap space, according to Cap Friendly.

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