Red Wings’ Jakub Vrana returns to practice, will be re-evaluated in mid-February

A familiar face returned to practice Thursday as the Detroit Red Wings welcomed back forward Jakub Vrana, who’s missed the entire season thus far after undergoing shoulder surgery last October. Rejoining his teammates for practice, Vrana, 25, donned a non-contact jersey but was seen testing his shoulder by participating in shooting drills. Afterwards, coach Jeff Blashill revealed that the left-hander had been cleared to shoot pucks, however, he remains unavailable for any contact drills. Additionally, Blashill confirmed Vrana will visit his surgeon in mid-February to determine the next steps of his recovery process. At which point, the team hopes to provide a timeline for his return to game action. Vrana, who was acquired by Detroit in a mid-season trade with the Washington Capitals last season, had been previously bothered by this shoulder injury and reaggravated it during training camp. Shortly after, the club announced he’d require surgery to correct the issue, which was expected to sideline him for at le