Vanek - 3 goals in 27 games

[CornKicker]

i have no opinion and think he is a great player still but Thomas Vanish is hilarious

 

[El Nino 22]

I never wanted the Wild to sign Vanek. I knew it would be Heatley 2.0. The day he was signed I was getting off work and saw that I had a missed call from my dad and a text from him saying "did you hear the news?" I called him back and greeted him with "Please don't tell me they signed Vanek."

Vanek Just sucks. After the signing I spent the summer trying to convince myself that it was a good signing and that he would have a good year back "home." My original concerns were correct.

 

[El Nino 22]

He should end with ~20goals and puck luck reversing for him. Still a poor man's lazy Parise. Players like Vanek never age well, it was just a matter of time till his skating, front of the net style, and "determination" caught up with him. He's an awful fit for Yeo's system too. Still expect him to finish with 20goals/60pts, but people have to realize he's not the all star winger he used to be.

A poor man's Parise is a bad comparison. Vanek is supposed to be a skilled player. Parise is a grinder. Vanek is lazy though and Parise is obviously the better player this year.

 

[silkyjohnson50]

Maybe he bet the under on his goal total

Now this was funny.

 

[T4ylormade]

He has as many assists as Kopitar has points. He's still productive.

This.

I've said this before and I'll say it again. There isn't a single GM in this league (pending cap space) that wouldn't have signed him for that contract.

Do I wish he had more goals this season. Ya, of course. But he is playing an important role on this team and I doubt the Wild regret this signing.

 

[MaxChart]

He has as many assists as Kopitar has points. He's still productive.

So a whopping 3 more points?

 

[Islanderfan17]

What is up with him? He is on pace for 8 goals this season. You look at their roster and their record and something doesnt match up. For the talent this squad has, their record should be a lot better than 4 games above .500.

They have a stacked top 6 and their bottom two lines are loaded with young talent. I think their top 6 are really underachieving. These guys should be tearing it up offensively. They have 4 very good 2 way forwards with two being two of the best in the league (Parise, Koivu).

Parise
Vanek
Koivu
Granlund
Pominville
Niederrieiter
Coyle

Vanek to me has always been a guy who flourished the most when playing with lesser talented mates (Buffalo), he was a beast in his prime with Buffalo with two 40+ goal seasons and two 30+ goal seasons.. But when you surround him with more talent around him (Montreal), his play drops off considerably. 3 goals in 27 games is just unacceptable for Vanek, a guy who was expected to be the Wilds top sniper. Remember, Vanek was THE best forward available at last years deadline.

But I think the most important question to ask is, is Vaneks prime over?

Did you watch him with the Isles last season? Him, JT and KO were the most dominant line in the NHL for a really hot stretch. I think the guy is totally capable of playing better, but I think he has cashed in at his destination of choice and is now just floating around happily. He played great for parts of last season IMO because it was a contract year, seems like all he really cares about is getting what he wants.

 

[Northland Wild Man]

I'm still hopeful he develops chemistry with the players here, but so far he's been just awful. He had a nice goal against the Islanders the other night when he actually went to the front of the net into a contested area, but I honestly can't remember him doing that before or since.

The other thing he does that just drives me nuts is the way he'll just give up when something is a bit difficult. He just gives the puck away willfully instead of going to the dirty areas, or trying to win a puck battle.

IMO he's overdue for a benching as a wake up call.

 

[Fergus]

Still better than Crosby.

 

[Maple Leaf]

Dude is so bad he has negative 3 goals in 27 games

 

[Nino Noderreiter]

Vanek's play is not the root or anywhere near the root of the Wild's issues this year.

http://www.hockeywilderness.com/2014/12/10/7354729/thomas-vanek-minnesota-wild


Please read.


Thank you.

 

[Insomniac99]

I wouldn't be surprised if his off-the-ice issues have him distracted.

 

[Dr Pepper]

Still two more than Hemsky.

 

[melinko]

Who on the Wild isn't under-performing?

The only person on the Wild who hasn't been a disappointment is Parise.

 

[Rolo]

Who on the Wild isn't under-performing?

The only person on the Wild who hasn't been a disappointment is Parise.

Nino? Zucker? Scandella?

 

[melinko]

Nino? Zucker? Scandella?

It was a bit of a hyperbole but of the expected top 6 players Koivu regressed(-.35pts/g), Pominville regressed(-.07pts/g), Granlund regressed(-.21pts/g), Vanek regressed(-.28pts/g), and Coyle stayed roughly the same.

 

[hototogisu]

This.

I've said this before and I'll say it again. There isn't a single GM in this league (pending cap space) that wouldn't have signed him for that contract.

Do I wish he had more goals this season. Ya, of course. But he is playing an important role on this team and I doubt the Wild regret this signing.

Not sure I agree. I think his putrid and frankly gutless performance in the playoffs with Montreal turned a lot of teams off of him at whatever the price was. Maybe that's why the Wild got him on that contract, who knows.

 

[OzzyFan]

It was a bit of a hyperbole but of the expected top 6 players Koivu regressed(-.35pts/g), Pominville regressed(-.07pts/g), Granlund regressed(-.21pts/g), Vanek regressed(-.28pts/g), and Coyle stayed roughly the same.

That's not regression. I know you guys have had some issues, especially with goaltending since Kuepmer's hot start, but a lot of your team has performed as expected or better: Nino/Zucker/Scandella/Pominville/Carter/Coyle/Scandella/Brodin/Suter. Almost every team in the league has a few guys underperforming right now, so you guys aren't the exception.

 

[Habsawce]

He should have found a way to stay in Montreal. Yeah, they didn't offer him a contract but they knew how much he wanted. Although I'm sure he's happy in Minnesota and he'll start filling the net eventually, he was a perfect fit on a team that can contend in the East much easier than Minnesota can compete in the West.

 

[5 Minute Major]

People mistake Vanek not being fleet of foot as being lazy.

Lazy players don't willingly take the beating he does on a nightly basis.

 

[Alexandrov]

That's not regression. I know you guys have had some issues, especially with goaltending since Kuepmer's hot start, but a lot of your team has performed as expected or better: Nino/Zucker/Scandella/Pominville/Carter/Coyle/Scandella/Brodin/Suter. Almost every team in the league has a few guys underperforming right now, so you guys aren't the exception.

I would put it

Worse than expected: Koivu, Granlund, Pominville, Haula, Vanek
As expected: Parise, Coyle, Suter, Brodin, Scandella, Spurgeon
Better than expected: Nino, Zucker, Carter

Some bottom six forwards and bottom pairing Ds are omitted. Carter I had to include because of his hot start. Pominville is shooting% is 6,5 vs. last year's 13.3% so he has been a disappointment so far. Vanek is at 7% vs his regular double digits.

 

[stokes84]

He has some CRAZY legal issues going on right now. It's amazing that there hasn't been much reporting on this. Obviously, I think this would affect anyone.

 

[Harvest]

I would put it

Worse than expected: Koivu, Granlund, Pominville, Haula, Vanek
As expected: Parise, Coyle, Suter, Brodin, Scandella, Spurgeon
Better than expected: Nino, Zucker, Carter

Some bottom six forwards and bottom pairing Ds are omitted. Carter I had to include because of his hot start. Pominville is shooting% is 6,5 vs. last year's 13.3% so he has been a disappointment so far. Vanek is at 7% vs his regular double digits.

Wow, I sure did expected more from Coyle.

 

[Benedict Kovalchuk]

Getting a nice contract at your home + some nuts legal issues + very underwhelming top-6 centers at the moment + questionable coaching = Thomas Vanek having a down year, at least goals wise.

And that bit about Vanek performing better on lesser talented squads is nonsense, he looked excellent on a line with Tavares and Okposo at nearly PPG(44 in 47).

 

[Alexandrov]

Wow, I sure did expected more from Coyle.

It seems he's taking the standard PF development path.