Jakub Vrana is one of the best pure goal-scorers in hockey.
Of the 605 forwards who have logged more than 100 minutes at five-on-five over the past three seasons (including this one), the only ones who have scored goals at a higher rate in those situations than Vrana’s 1.44 per 60 minutes are Auston Matthews (1.50), Dominik Kubalik (1.48 in around half as many minutes as Vrana’s 2,161), Brendan Gallagher (1.46), and David Pastrnak (1.45). That’s it (and because you’re wondering, Alex Ovechkin clocks in at 1.43).
And yet, Vrana’s five-on-five ice time per game is just 12:09, seventh on the team, down a tick from last season’s 12:19 and the season prior’s 12:34.