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A Player Per Day: No. 26: Thomas Vanek

Eleven

By Eleven
in The Aud Club

  

67 members have voted

  1. 1. How I feel about this player:

    • 5: Must keep under any circumstances.
      23
    • 4: Would like to keep; would trade only for a great return (if under contract) or would pay a premium to re-sign (if FA).
      33
    • 3: Don't care if he stays or goes; would make a fair trade (if under contract) or pay somewhat above current salary to re-sign (if FA).
      7
    • 2: Don't want him on the team, really; would trade for a somewhat lesser return (if under contract) or sign at current or lower salary (if FA).
      3
    • 1: Get this guy off of the team, no matter what it takes.
      0

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SwampD Hall of Famer

SwampD

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4 with Ruff as the coach. 5 if someone else is brought in, of course, Thomas will be long retired when that happens. ;)

thesportsbuff Second Liner

thesportsbuff

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2: Don't want him on the team, really; would trade for a somewhat lesser return (if under contract) or sign at current or lower salary (if FA).

 

but obviously his contract nullifies any outcome besides him being on the roster in october

inkman Hall of Famer

inkman

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I was encouraged by his late season push and playoff intensity when he was healthy. His body of work is interesting. I'd move him for the right player but I'm pretty confident nothing like that will ever happen.

gregkash Third Liner

gregkash

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I put 5, but basically everyone on the team to me is at most a 4. I'd move Miller if the Return was Unbelievable. (crosby, ovechkin)

I dunno, I think we saw how Vanek CAN play at the end of the season. It's just getting him to play like that.

He needs to work on his speed, I think I read that Ruff said that's what he's going to focus on this offseason. But anyway, he's our best offesnive player so.. don't trade unless you're getting someone equal or better.

Tyrannustyrannus Fourth Liner

Tyrannustyrannus

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the power play in the past 3 seasons has been focused on getting him the puck, and they didn't do that this season. If he had as many power play goals as he did last year, he would have been a 40 goal scorer. I think it was the team's total lack of focus on the PP (which he was part of) that resulted in his poor production. Keep him, but give him some help!

LabattBlue All Star

LabattBlue

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The power play in the past 3 seasons has been focused on getting him the puck, and they didn't do that this season.

How so? As far as I can see, Vanek has stood in front of the net for the last 2 or 3 years doing tip drills on the PP? Do you see guys like Heatley, Ovechkin, Crosby, Stamkos, Gaborik, etc... being used in this manner?

 

Ruff should be fired for this reason alone. What an awful way to waste a players talent.

FearTheReaper Fourth Liner

FearTheReaper

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I dunno, I think we saw how Vanek CAN play at the end of the season. It's just getting him to play like that.

He needs to work on his speed, I think I read that Ruff said that's what he's going to focus on this offseason. But anyway, he's our best offesnive player so.. don't trade unless you're getting someone equal or better.

 

Agreed. I loved his play toward the end of the year. It was great enough to make me believe in his ability again.

 

Would only trade for a great return. Jarome Iginla?

carpandean First Liner

carpandean

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How so? As far as I can see, Vanek has stood in front of the net for the last 2 or 3 years doing tip drills on the PP? Do you see guys like Heatley, Ovechkin, Crosby, Stamkos, Gaborik, etc... being used in this manner?

 

Ruff should be fired for this reason alone. What an awful way to waste a players talent.

Yet, prior to this year, he was scoring as many, if not more, powerplay goals as Heatley and Ovechkin. He has scored far more than Crosby (though, you can't really compare the two, because Crosby is a playmaker and has tons of PPA.) Stamkos was a rookie last year and Gaborik has been injured most seasons prior to this one, so it's hard to compare their numbers. Oveckin's PPGs (powerplay goals, not points per game) were down almost as much as Vanek's this year, too.

 

That aside, we can all agree that a new assistant coach in charge of the PP would do this team wonders.

deluca67 All Star

deluca67

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I want o see what Vanek can do with a top level center feeding him the puck. Not finding a true #1 center to play with Vanek will make the off-season a complete failure no matter what else they do.

shrader Hall of Famer

shrader

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Yet, prior to this year, he was scoring as many, if not more, powerplay goals as Heatley and Ovechkin. He has scored far more than Crosby (though, you can't really compare the two, because Crosby is a playmaker and has tons of PPA.) Stamkos was a rookie last year and Gaborik has been injured most seasons prior to this one, so it's hard to compare their numbers. Oveckin's PPGs were down almost as much as Vanek's this year, too.

 

That aside, we can all agree that a new assistant coach in charge of the PP would do this team wonders.

 

Take a look at our shots from the point and you will find the main reason for why the PP production bottomed out. There actually needs to be a decent shot that Vanek can tip in order for him to be effective... and when that shot is there, his ability to redirect shots is absolutely amazing.

FearTheReaper Fourth Liner

FearTheReaper

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That aside, we can all agree that a new assistant coach in charge of the PP would do this team wonders.

 

Guy Carbonneau?

 

I asure you that with this guy at the helm for our PP, we become a force in that catagory.

static70 Third Liner

static70

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I'd move him for the right price, and that right price was four 1st rd draft picks. Man, that was the biggest mistake Darcy has ever made. He should have given Vanek to Edmonton at that price. The amount we could have done with those extra 1st rd picks is absolutely mind boggling.

 

But, now that all of that is over with, I would move him for no less than his value.

spndnchz All Star

spndnchz

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I want o see what Vanek can do with a top level center feeding him the puck. Not finding a true #1 center to play with Vanek will make the off-season a complete failure no matter what else they do.

 

This.

 

Take a look at our shots from the point and you will find the main reason for why the PP production bottomed out. There actually needs to be a decent shot that Vanek can tip in order for him to be effective... and when that shot is there, his ability to redirect shots is absolutely amazing.

 

and THIS.

 

A great piece of meat put into a stew does not a great stew make. U need good ingredients all around. They should be able to get this done.

Stoner Hall of Famer

Stoner

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That aside, we can all agree that a new assistant coach in charge of the PP would do this team wonders.

Absolutely, but then Ruff needs to let the guy coach it and keep his stinkin' depressin' muckin' and grindin' dumpin' and chasin' blockin' and retreatin' alamo modin' paws off of it.

LabattBlue All Star

LabattBlue

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Yet, prior to this year, he was scoring as many, if not more, powerplay goals as Heatley and Ovechkin. He has scored far more than Crosby (though, you can't really compare the two, because Crosby is a playmaker and has tons of PPA.) Stamkos was a rookie last year and Gaborik has been injured most seasons prior to this one, so it's hard to compare their numbers. Oveckin's PPGs were down almost as much as Vanek's this year, too.

 

That aside, we can all agree that a new assistant coach in charge of the PP would do this team wonders.

My point earlier was, what other team takes their most talented player and puts them in front of the net on the PP? Answer...no one.

 

It's more than just PPG. Vanek does not have the puck on his stick enough on the PP for a player with his talent. This is backed up by the fact that he only has 19 PPA over the last 3 years. That is an average of a little over 6 PPA per year for a guy that gets a ton off PP ice time. On the PP, he does not get to pass or shoot the puck by standing in front of the net trying for tips.

 

I would guarantee that the PP would be more successful, if Vanek were playing down low on the wing.

shrader Hall of Famer

shrader

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Blue, he scored basically every powerplay goal for this team, so of course he's not going to get assists on the powerplay. If he didn't score it, it was most likely because the goalie couldn't see through him. Vanek is not a setup guy, never has been, never will be. If you want the team to score more, you do not put him in a spot where he can setup more people. You put him in a spot where he will score more.

Stoner Hall of Famer

Stoner

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My point earlier was, what other team takes their most talented player and puts them in front of the net on the PP? Answer...no one.

 

It's more than just PPG. Vanek does not have the puck on his stick enough on the PP for a player with his talent. This is backed up by the fact that he only has 19 PPA over the last 3 years. That is an average of a little over 6 PPA per year for a guy that gets a ton off PP ice time. On the PP, he does not get to pass or shoot the puck by standing in front of the net trying for tips.

 

I would guarantee that the PP would be more successful, if Vanek were playing down low on the wing.

 

Thanks for this. This is very interesting. You wonder if the worst thing to ever happen to Vanek's career was the first time he tipped in a shot on the power play. That seems to have pegged him. And standing in front of the net on the power play, getting whacked around, could keep his ice time depressed. It takes a lot out of you.

 

I wonder if you went back and looked at his power play goals over his career, how many came on tips. Scoring like that really is a minor miracle -- especially his patented "angle tip" off a pass from the right wing.

ntjacks79 Top Prospect

ntjacks79

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4 with Ruff as the coach. 5 if someone else is brought in, of course, Thomas will be long retired when that happens. ;)

Let's test the limits of "How Much SwampD hates Lindy Ruff?". Answer this as True or False. Dick Jauron was a better coach for the Bills than Lindy Ruff is for the Sabres.

SwampD Hall of Famer

SwampD

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Let's test the limits of "How Much SwampD hates Lindy Ruff?". Answer this as True or False. Dick Jauron was a better coach for the Bills than Lindy Ruff is for the Sabres.

:lol: Even I don't let my emotions get in the way of my brain that much.

 

I want Vanek to be a star, I just don't think it will ever happen under Lindy Ruff. When you think of Vancouver, you think the Sedins or Luongo. When you think of Detriot you think Zetterburg, Datsyuk, or Holmstrom. Pittsburgh - Crosby and Malkin. Calgary - Iguinla, etc. But when you think of Buffalo, it's Lindy first. He's bigger than the players.

 

Lindy would have made a better fooball coach in the 60s and 70s. I bet him and Tom Landry would have had some classic battles. But this is 21st century Hockey and Lindy just doesn't abide by stars, just look at how many we've been able to keep during his tenure.

carpandean First Liner

carpandean

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You're right. That's the 'strom I was actually thinking of.

Yeah, but when you think of Vanek's role on the powerplay, don't you think of Holstrom. Stand in the goalies face and fight for position, then tip in or bury rebounds.

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