'After the NCAA finals, Central Scouting rated him the 3rd best North American Skater and the Hockey News rated him 8th overall prospect. In their 2003 draft preview ICHC quoted several NHL scouts, one of which described him as a "great physical specimen." That scout further stated that "he's got everything. He can skate like the wind and has the quickest hands I've seen on a kid that age in a long time." The only knocks on Vanek were that he was perceived by some as lazy and as taking nights off.'