Vanek himself probably couldn’t have, a year ago. That’s one of the reasons he was benched when the going got tough, and fast. Although the NHL playoffs are partly a battle of attrition, the better teams can actually pick it up a step as they get deeper into the spring. “We talked to him after the playoffs about adding certain qualities to his game,” said Buffalo coach Lindy Ruff. “We talked a lot about fitness and conditioning, which would add quickness. And to his credit, he went into the summer and made that commitment.”‘